Gonorrhea Case Studies

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection. The infection is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhea. It is described by a discharge and a burning sensation while urinating. Gonorrhoea is not typically a dangerous infection unless left untreated. In this case, the infection can cause pelvic inflammatory diseases and put the person at a high risk of infertility. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.360)

The bacterium that causes gonorrhea requires a moist, typically warm, environment. It is found, in both genders, growing in the mucous membranes of the urinary tract. It may also be found in the cervix of a woman. However, on the outside of the body, the gonococcus bacterium dies inA around a minute. Similar to any typical STI, gonorrhea is, in most cases, transmitted through sexual intercourse, both vaginal and anal, and also through

oral sex. It may also be transmitted from a mother to her newborn during childbirth. Gonorrhea may also be passed on by an infected person who has shared a warm towel or sheet after contact with another person. However, cases like these are known to be rare. If a woman performs fellatio on an infected male, she will develop a throat infection called pharyngeal gonorrhea. However a male performing cunnilingus is less likely to catch the infection. Mouth-to-mouth contact is also known as less of a threat than fellatio. Gonorrhea is also known to spread during anal intercourse from the penis to the partner’s rectum. If anal intercourse is followed by vaginal intercourse and the woman’s cervix is infected, her partner will transmit the infection to her rectum. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.360)

Like most STI’s, gonorrhea is extremely contagious. If a woman is exposed to the infection, she has a fifty percent chance of catching it. If a man is exposed to the infection, he has a twenty five percent chance of catching it. (Hatcher et al., 2011). Women seem to be at a higher risk due to the fact that they retain infected seminal fluids in the vagina. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.360)

Symptoms, for men, begin to show within two to five days once infected. A clear discharge is secreted from the penis and turns to a thick yellow colour within the next day or two. Urinating is uncomfortable due to a burning sensation as the urethra becomes inflamed. Men may also experience swelling in the lymph nodes and pain may also be accompanied. In fact, around thirty to forty percent of men experience this symptom. If left untreated, these symptoms tend to subside however the infection will continuously harm the body. Though it may seem as if symptoms have lessened, they have the tendency to become severe afterwards. Examples of this include the spreading of the infection to the urogenital system, effecting the internal reproductive organs. This will usually result in the inflammation of the epididymis also known as epididymitis. In some case, epididymitis may cause infertility. Common symptoms of epididymitis include swelling or pain in the scrotum and sometimes accompanied by fever. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.361)

Gonorrhea in women is usually located in the cervix.

The infection leads to the inflammation of the cervix, otherwise known as cervicitis. Similar to the male ghonorrea symptoms, a yellow coloured discharge is secreted which then causes the swelling of the vulva. Though the infection does not always spread to the urethra, it is not uncommon and the woman will experience a burning sensation while urinating. When diagnosed and treated early, gonorrhea is cleared up rather quickly, more than ninety percent of the time. However, the woman is at a high risk of pelvic inflammatory disease if the infection is spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, and other parts of her reproductive organs. Most women become aware of the infection when PID is developed. Common symptoms of PID include cramps, irregular menstrual cycles, fever, nausea, pain during intercourse, and more. Whether these symptoms are present or not, PID may cause scarring of the fallopian tubes resulting in infertility. Antibiotics and sometimes surgery are required for the treatment of PID. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015,

p.361)

The STI is diagnosed by a physician whom performs a clinical inspection of the genitals. The physician will collect and examine the genital discharge. Antibiotics are used to treat gonorrhea and the commonly used medication is ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone and ofloxacin. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.361)

The most commonly and effective way to prevent catching the infection is by completely avoiding any sexual contact with a person who has symptoms of the infection. Using a condom is another effective method, however risks are still present.

In conclusion, gonorrhea is easily attained however it is just as easy to avoid. Similar to most sexually transmitted diseases, it is transmitted through direct sexual contact whether it be via the mouth, rectum, penis, or vagina. One can look out for symptoms such as a puss-like discharge, burning when urinating, swelling of the scrotum for men, swelling of the vulva for women, and swelling in the throat for both men and women due to oral sex. Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium that grows in the mucus membrane however it may be easily treated, if caught early, by taking antibiotics prescribed by a health care professional. In order to avoid the STI, it is important to abstain from sex with the infected other, or to simply use a condom. STI’s are a very serious matter and it is important to be cautious and practice safe sex. (Rathus, Nevid, Fichner-Rathus, & McKay, 2015, p.360-61)