50% Increase in Gonorrhoea: Doctor Reveals Everything You Need to Know

Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, affecting over 82 thousand people in England. If left untreated, gonorrhoea can lead to serious health problems, particularly for women. In women, untreated gonorrhoea can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a severe infection of the reproductive organs that can cause infertility and chronic pelvic pain. In men, untreated gonorrhoea can cause epididymitis, a painful inflammation of the testicles.

Gonorrhoea can also increase the risk of contracting and transmitting other STIs such as HIV, and spread to the bloodstream, causing Disseminated Gonococcal Infection (DGI), a life-threatening condition leading to clinical manifestations such as septic arthritis and skin rashes.

How do you get it? Can you get it during oral sex, too?

The Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium is typically found in discharge from the penis or vagina so is typically passed through unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex. Gonorrhoea can also be transmitted from a pregnant mother to her baby. As the bacteria cannot survive outside the body for long, you will not catch this STI from non-invasive bodily contact like kissing or hugging.

How can you avoid getting it?

Like all STIs, practising safe sex is the best way to prevent getting gonorrhoea. It is important to remember to always use a condom, do not share sex toys and ensure you get regularly tested for sexually transmitted diseases.

What happens if you get it?

Symptoms of gonorrhoea include a discharge from the penis or vagina, pain or burning during urination, and in women, pain during sexual intercourse and abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods. However, some people with gonorrhoea may not experience any symptoms at all, in fact, one in 10 men and almost half of the women do not experience any symptoms.

If you get treated and it doesn’t clear the infection … What happens next?

If gonorrhoea is not treated correctly or if the infection is resistant to the prescribed antibiotics, it can persist in the body. Treatment failure can be a result of some strains of gonorrhoea that have become resistant to antibiotics, incorrect diagnosis or If you continue to have unprotected sex with an infected partner.

If you have been treated for gonorrhoea but your symptoms persist or return, it’s important to seek medical advice immediately. Your doctor may recommend additional testing to determine the cause of treatment failure and prescribe a different antibiotic regimen.

Anything you think people should know about the new antibiotic-resistant strains of this infection?

Gonorrhoea has progressively developed resistance to the antibiotic drugs prescribed to treat it which is posing a significant public health risk. To prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea, it is essential to practise safe sex, get tested regularly for STIs, and use antibiotics only as prescribed by a healthcare provider. Additionally, it is important to inform your healthcare provider if you have recently travelled to areas where antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is prevalent.