Gonorrhea – most ancient enemy of the humankind

Gonococcal infection – gonorrhea – is one of most ancient sexually transmitted diseases. Gonorrhea’s causative agent is gonococcus (Neisseria gonorrhoeae). The incubation period of gonorrhea in men мужчин usually lasts from 2 to 5 days, and in women – from 5 to 10 days. They differ recent gonorrhea – acute, subacute and torpid (with prescription up to 2 months), chronic (over 2 months and with undetermined prescription), as well as latent gonorrhea.

 Symptoms of gonorrhea

Symptoms of gonorrhea in men:

• yellowish-white discharge from the urethra;

• painful urination.

Symptoms of gonorrhea in women:

• yellowish-white discharge from the vagina;

• painful urination;

• intermenstrual hemorrhages;

• pain in the lower part of the abdomen

 Gonorrhea complications 

 In men the most frequent complication is inflammation of epididymis – epididymitis. In women the most frequent complication of gonorrhea is inflammatory diseases of the uterus and uterine appendages, which are one of the main causes of female sterility. In case when gonococcus spreads to other organs, there develops disseminated gonococcus infection. In this case there may be affected joints, skin, brain, heart and liver.

 Diagnostics of gonorrhea

 To diagnose gonorrhea mere presence of symptoms is not enough. It is necessary to prove the diagnosis with laboratory methods. Diagnostics of acute gonorrhea in men is usually based on the results of common smear. In case of chronic gonorrhea in men, as well as in any form of the disease in women, it is necessary to apply more precise methods of investigation – polymerase chain reaction or inoculation.

 Treatment of gonorrhea

Choice of treatment schemes for gonococcal infection depends on clinical presentation and anatomical localization of the disease, antimicrobial susceptibility of gonococcus strain. Only doctors should treat gonorrhea. One should not be engaged in self-treatment! Your doctor can prescribe effective antibicrobial preparations Flamifix or Gatilin, which have high susceptibility to N. gonorrhoeae. 

  Sexual partners

 If you receive treatment, but your sexual partner does not, you can easily get infected again. It is very important to inform your sexual partners about the disease, even if they have no complaints, and persuade them to undergo examination and treatment.