Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by the gram-negative bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This bacterium requires a moist, warm environment, so it will usually only infect and colonize in the mucosal membranes of the genital area, throat, eye, or anus. Given this, the primary method of transmission for gonorrhea is sexual contact. Neisseria gonorrhoeae cannot survive for long periods of time in the outside environment, so transmission is almost directly limited to sexual contact. The symptoms for gonorrhea are often fairly mild, with some not developing noticeable symptoms at all. For men, the symptoms include a burning sensation when urinating, painful or swollen testicles, and a discharge from the penis (white, yellow, or green in color). For females, the symptoms include a burning or painful sensation when urinating, an increased amount of vaginal discharge, non-menstrual bleeding, pain in the belly, and pain when having sex. The people at highest risk for developing gonorrhea are younger individuals who have multiple sex partners, are having sex with an individual with multiple sex partners, or those that have unprotected sex. The risk for developing gonorrhea will also increase if the individual has had a previous case of gonorrhea or another STD.
As gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, it is treated using antibiotics. Traditionally, gonorrhea was easily cleared using penicillin and tetracycline. It did not pose any significant threats to the infected individual if discovered early enough. However, as time progressed and the incorrect use of antibiotics increased, Neisseria gonorrhoeae developed resistance to many of these first-line antibiotics, requiring researchers to consistently develop new methods for treating and controlling the disease. Currently, most cases of gonorrhea are treated using azithromycin and ceftriaxone. However, Neisseria gonorrhoeae will most likely continue to develop increased resistance to a greater number of antibiotics, making it an extremely important item of concern for researchers and public health officials.
As mentioned above, gonorrhea poses little risk to infected individuals if diagnosed early enough and if it can be adequately treated using antibiotics. If, however, gonorrhea goes untreated, it can pose significant risks to the long-term health of that individual, especially in women. When Neisseria gonorrhoeae is left to its own devices, it may not stay contained within the mucosal membranes of the affected area. In both men and women, it may rise from the infected area to cause a more serious problem. For men, the bacterium may rise and infect a tube called the epididymis that carries and stores sperm. This causes the tube to become inflamed in a condition known as epididymitis, which may cause infertility if not treated. The ascension of gonorrhea in women may cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which occurs when the fallopian tubes and uterus are infected. PID is a serious problem because it can result in chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Babies born to mothers that have gonorrhea are also at risk for developing serious complications, making it important for every individual to be aware and educated about their sexual health.
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