Gonorrhoea

This is caused by bacteria which is easily passed from one person to another through sexual contact. The bacteria usually live inside the cells of the cervix (entrance to the womb), the urethra (tube where urine comes out), the rectum (back passage), the throat and occasionally the eyes. The infection can spread if you have vaginal, anal, oral sex or share sex toys.

Sign and Symptoms

About 10% of infected men, and 50% of infected women, will not have any symptoms at all. Symptoms can show up to 1 – 14 days after coming into contact with gonorrhoea, many months later or not until the infection spreads to other parts of your body.

Women	Men
• An unusual vaginal discharge which may be thin/watery or yellow/greenish. • Pain when passing urine. • Lower abdominal pain or tenderness.	• A white, yellow or green discharge from the tip of the penis. • Pain when passing urine. • Pain or tenderness in the testicles.

If left untreated

Without proper treatment the infection can spread to other parts of the body causing damage and serious long-term complications. In women gonorrhoea cab spread to other reproductive organs causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). This can lead to long-term pelvic pain, blocked fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy that occurs outside the womb) and infertility. In men it may lead to inflamed testicles, an inflamed prostate gland and infertility.