Women:

• no symptoms
• increased vaginal discharge
• burning pain when passing urine
• pain/bleeding during sexual intercourse
• bleeding between periods
• abnormally long or heavy periods
• pain in lower abdomen

Are there complications?

Men:
Inflammation and spread of the infection to the testicles and prostate gland may cause sterility.

Women:
Inflammation and spread of the infection to the fallopian tubes and ovaries may result in Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), which is a cause of sterility and ectopic (tubal) pregnancy.

• If left untreated, gonorrhea can spread tothe joints causing arthritis. In pregnantwomen, gonorrhea can be passed to the baby during delivery, causing infection in the eyes.
• Gonorrhea can be found in the throats of infected people if they have oral sex (mouth to penis or vagina), or in the rectums of infected people if they have anal sex. Early treatment is important to prevent complications.

How is gonorrhea diagnosed?
Gonorrhea is diagnosed by taking a swab from a woman's cervix or a man's penis, or from the throat or rectum.

How is gonorrhea treated?
Specific antibiotics are prescribed by the doctor. To cure gonorrhea, all pills must be taken as directed. It is important that all sexual partner(s) be tested and treated, whether they have symptoms or not. Do not have sexual intercourse, even with a condom, until you have your follow-up appointment. All sexual partners in the past 3 months must be treated, even if they have no symptoms. Remember, if taking birth control pills, to use a back up method of birth control during treatment and for 7 days after.