commonly reported notifiable disease in the United States. There are nearly 400,000 reported cases of gonorrhea per year, but the CDC estimates there are 820,000 new infections actually occurring each year.
How is gonorrhea spread?
Gonorrhea is spread through unprotected sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected person. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to baby during childbirth.
Note: Ejaculation does not have to occur to spread gonorrhea.
READ: WARNING: Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Chlamydia Are Becoming Untreatable
What are the signs and symptoms of gonorrhea?
Symptoms usually occur within two to 14 days after exposure. However, many people never develop noticeable symptoms.
If a person does develop symptoms, they may include:
- Discharge
- Pain or burning sensation while urinating
- Frequent urination
- Sore throat
- Pain upon engaging in sexual intercourse
- Sharp pain in the lower abdomen
fever
What to do if you think you have gonorrhea?
Avoid any sexual activity and contact your doctor immediately.
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Preventing gonorrhea
The most reliable way to prevent the transmission of gonorrhea or other STIs is to abstain from sex. If you are sexually active, always use a condom when you engage in vaginal, oral, or anal sexual intercourse, communicate with your sexual partners, and get regular STI screenings.
Stacy Grundy, MPH, CHES is a Certified Health Education Specialist and has a B.S. in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from the University of Texas School of Public Health. As a public health professional, her primary focus is the elimination of health disparities through policy, systems, and environmental changes.
