Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection spread through sexual contact (sexually transmitted infection). It's found most often in the genital area. But it can also infect other areas of the body, such as the rectum or throat.
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection spread through sexual contact (sexually transmitted infection). It's found most often in the genital area. But it can also infect other areas of the body, such as the rectum or throat.
Gonorrhea is caused by a type of bacteria. It can be spread during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. If you're pregnant and infected, you can pass it to your baby during delivery. Anyone who has gonorrhea can pass it on, even if they don't have symptoms.
Many people have no symptoms of gonorrhea. If there are symptoms, they can take several days to appear. Or it may take several weeks.
Symptoms may include:
If it isn't treated, the infection can move into the uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. This is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Symptoms can include lower belly pain, pain during sex, vaginal bleeding, and a fever.
You can spread gonorrhea even if you don't have symptoms. You're contagious until you've been treated.
To diagnose gonorrhea, your doctor will ask you questions about your past health and your sexual history, such as how many partners you have. Your doctor may also do a physical exam to look for signs of infection.
Urine or fluid from the infected area will be tested for gonorrhea. You may also be tested for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the same time.
As soon as you find out that you have gonorrhea, be sure to let your sex partner(s) know. Experts recommend that you tell everyone you've had sex with in the past 60 days. If you haven't had sex in the past 60 days, contact the last person you had sex with.
Antibiotics are used to treat gonorrhea, for both you and any sex partners. If only one person takes the medicine, you may keep passing the infection back and forth. To make sure that the medicine works, you need to take all of the medicine as directed.
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