GONORRHEA

Gonorrhea (also gonorrhoea) is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (also called Gonococcus, which is often abbreviated as "GC" by clinicians). In the US, its incidence is second[1] only to chlamydia among bacterial STDs.[2]
The symptoms in males include a yellowish discharge from the penis, which causes painful, frequent urination. Symptoms can develop from two to thirty days after infection. A few percent of infected men have no symptoms. The infection may move into the prostate, seminal vesicles, and epididymis, causing pain and fever. Untreated, gonorrhea can lead to sterility.
Fewer than half the women with gonorrhea show any symptoms, or symptoms mild enough to be ignored. Early symptoms include a discharge from the vagina, some discomfort in the lower abdomen, irritation of the genitals, pain or burning during urination and some abnormal bleeding. Women who leave these symptoms untreated may develop severe complications. The infection will usually spread to the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, causing Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). It can not be caused by sharing toilets and bathrooms [3].
Some early symptoms of this infection are lower abdomen pain, fever, nausea, and pain during intercourse.
In both men and women if gonorrhea is left untreated, it may spread throughout the body, affecting joints and even heart valves

Symptoms

The incubation period is 2 [1] to 30 days with most symptoms occurring between 4–6 days after being infected. A small number of people may be asymptomatic for a lifetime. Between 30% and 60% of people with gonorrhea are asymptomatic or have subclinical disease.[4] Women may complain of vaginal discharge, difficulty urinating (dysuria), projectile urination, off-cycle menstrual bleeding, or bleeding after sexual intercourse. The cervix may appear anywhere from normal to the extreme of marked cervical inflammation with pus. Possibility of increased production of male hormones is common in many cases. Infection of the urethra (urethritis) causes little dysuria or pus. The combination of urethritis and cervicitis on examination strongly supports a gonorrhea diagnosis, as both sites are infected in most gonorrhea patients. Gonorrhea is caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacteria. The infection is transmitted from one person to another through vaginal, oral, or anal sexual relations, though transmission occurs rarely with safe sex practices of condom usage with lubrication.
Men have a 20% risk of getting the infection from a single act of vaginal intercourse with a woman infected with gonorrhea. Women have a 60-80% risk of getting the infection from a single act of vaginal intercourse with a man infected with gonorrhea.[5] An infected mother may transmit gonorrhea to her newborn during childbirth, a condition known as ophthalmia neonatorum.[6]
Less advanced symptoms, which may indicate development of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), include cramps and pain, bleeding between menstrual periods, vomiting, or fever. It is not unusual for men to have asymptomatic gonorrhea. Men may complain of pain on urinating and thick, copious, urethral pus discharge (also known as gleet) is the most common presentation. Examination may show a reddened external urethral meatus. Ascending infection may involve the epididymis, testicles or prostate gland causing symptoms such as scrotal pain or swelling. Instances of blurred vision in one eye may occur in adults

Complications

In men, inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis); prostate gland (prostatitis) and urethral structure (urethritis) can result from untreated gonorrhea[6].
In women, the most common result of untreated gonorrhea is pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious infection of the uterus that can lead to infertility. Other complications include: perihepatitis,[6] a rare complication associated with Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome; septic arthritis in the fingers, wrists, toes, and ankles; septic abortion; chorioamnionitis during pregnancy; neonatal or adult blindness from conjunctivitis; and infertility. Neonates coming through the birth canal are given erythromycin ointment in eyes to prevent blindness from infection. The underlying gonorrhea should be treated; if this is done then usually a good prognosis will follow