What is gonorrhea? 

Gonorrhea  is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in  the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals)  in women, and in  the urethra (urine canal) in women and men. The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus. 

How common is gonorrhea? 

Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease.  CDC estimates that more than 700,000 persons in the U.S. get new gonorrheal infections each year. Only about half of these infections are reported to CDC.  In 2006, 358,366 cases of gonorrhea were reported to CDC. In  the period from 1975 to 1997,  the national gonorrhea rate declined, following the implementation  of the national  gonorrhea control program in the mid-1970s. After several  years of stable gonorrhea rates, however, the national gonorrhea rate increased for the second consecutive year. In 2006, the rate of reported gonorrheal infections was 120.9 per 100,000 persons. 

How do people get gonorrhea? 

Gonorrhea is spread through contact with  the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea  can also be spread from mother to baby during delivery. 

People who have had gonorrhea  and received treatment may get  infected again if they have sexual contact with  a person infected with gonorrhea. 

Who is at risk for gonorrhea? 

Any  sexually active person can be infected with gonorrhea. In  the United States, the highest reported rates of infection are among sexually active teenagers, young adults, and African Americans. 

What are the signs and symptoms of gonorrhea? 

Some men with  gonorrhea may have no symptoms at all. However, some men have  signs or symptoms that appear two to five days after infection; symptoms can take  as long as 30 days to appear. Symptoms and signs include  a burning sensation when urinating, or a white, yellow, or green  discharge from the penis. Sometimes men with gonorrhea get painful  or swollen testicles. 

In women, the symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild, but most women who are infected have  no symptoms. Even when a woman has symptoms, they can be so non-specific as to be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. The initial symptoms and  signs in women include a painful  or burning sensation when urinating, increased vaginal discharge, or vaginal bleeding between periods. Women with gonorrhea are at risk of developing serious complications from the infection, regardless of the presence or severity of  symptoms.

Symptoms of rectal infection in both men and women may include discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements. Rectal infection also may  cause no symptoms. Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat but usually causes no symptoms. 

What are the complications of gonorrhea? 

Untreated  gonorrhea can cause serious and permanent health problems  in both women and men. 

In women, gonorrhea is a common cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). About one million women each year in the United States develop PID.  The symptoms may be quite mild or can be very severe and can include abdominal pain and fever. PID can lead to internal abscesses (pus-filled “pockets” that are hard to cure) and long-lasting, chronic pelvic pain. PID can damage the fallopian tubes enough to  cause infertility or increase the risk  of ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy  is a life-threatening condition in which a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. 

In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the ducts attached to the testicles  that may lead to infertility if left untreated. 

Gonorrhea  can spread to the blood or joints. This condition can  be life threatening. In addition, people with gonorrhea can more easily contract HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV-infected people with gonorrhea can transmit HIV more easily to someone else than if they did not have gonorrhea. 

How does gonorrhea affect  a pregnant woman and her baby? 

If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give the infection  to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal  during delivery. This can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life-threatening blood infection in the baby. Treatment of gonorrhea as soon as it is detected in pregnant women will reduce the risk of these complications. Pregnant women should consult a health care provider for appropriate examination, testing, and treatment, as necessary. 

How is gonorrhea diagnosed? 

Several laboratory tests are available to diagnose gonorrhea. A doctor or nurse can obtain a sample  for testing from the parts of the body likely to be infected (cervix, urethra, rectum, or throat) and send the sample to a laboratory for analysis. Gonorrhea that is present in the cervix or urethra can be diagnosed in a laboratory by testing a urine sample. A quick laboratory test for  gonorrhea that can be done in some clinics or doctor’s offices is  a Gram stain. A Gram stain  of a sample from a urethra or a cervix allows the doctor  to see the gonorrhea bacterium under a microscope. This test works better for men than for women. 

What is the treatment for gonorrhea? 

Several antibiotics can successfully  cure gonorrhea in adolescents and adults. However, drug-resistant strains of gonorrhea are increasing in many areas of  the world, including the United States, and successful treatment of gonorrhea  is becoming more difficult. Because many people with gonorrhea also have chlamydia, another STD, antibiotics for both infections are usually given together. Persons with gonorrhea should be tested for other STDs. 

It is  important to take all of the medication prescribed to cure gonorrhea.  Although medication will stop the infection, it will not repair any permanent damage done by the disease. People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated can get the disease again if they have sexual contact with persons infected with gonorrhea. If a person’s symptoms continue even after receiving treatment, he or she should return to a doctor to be reevaluated. 

How can gonorrhea be prevented? 

The surest way to avoid transmission of STDs is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be  in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected. 

Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission of  gonorrhea.

Any genital symptoms such as discharge or burning during urination or unusual sore or rash should be a signal to stop having sex and to see a doctor immediately. If a person has been diagnosed and treated for gonorrhea, he or she should notify all recent sex partners so they can see a health care provider and be treated. This will reduce the risk that the sex partners will develop serious complications from gonorrhea and will also reduce the person’s risk of becoming re-infected. The person and all of his or her sex partners must avoid sex until they have completed their treatment for gonorrhea. 

Where can I get more information? 

Division of STD Prevention (DSTDP)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention