After a two decade decline in prevalence, the rate of gonorrhea has increased in Florida and the rest of the country.
The latest data for Florida shows an increase in number of cases (~19,000 to ~23,000) and rates per 100,000 people (111.
5 to 129.
0) from 2003 to the latest numbers in 2007.
The rate for the country as a whole is 118.
9 per 100,000 people (2007).
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused the bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
This bacterium can infect the genital tract, mouth and rectum of both men and women.
Ejaculation does not have to occur for the disease to be transmitted.
It can also be transmitted from mother to baby during delivery.
Symptoms of gonorrhea usually appear with 2 to 5 days after sexual contact with an infected partner, occasionally symptoms make take longer to appear.
In women, infection may be asymptomatic.
If present, the early symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild.
The first symptoms in women are frequently; painful or burning sensations when urinating, an increase in discharge (yellow or bloody) and bleeding after intercourse.
Men have symptoms more often than women and they may include; a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis with pain, burning sensations during urination, and painful, swollen testicles.
While infection of the throat and rectum are frequently asymptomatic, rectal infection may have discharge, itching and painful bowel movements.
The complications of untreated gonorrhea are numerous.
The most common being pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection of the female reproductive tract.
Ectopic pregnancy may occur due to scar tissue that's formed in the fallopian tubes.
This can result in miscarriage or death of the mother.
In men, untreated gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility.
Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can spread through the blood to the joints, causing permanent joint damage (gonococcal arthritis).
Problems for the newborn that gets gonorrhea during delivery are blindness, joint and blood infections.
When a child has the infection in any part of the body, it's most commonly due to sexual abuse.
Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by several laboratory procedures.
These include staining samples directly for the bacteria, detecting bacterial genes or DNA and growing the organism in laboratory culture.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is treatable with antibiotics; however it has become resistant to many antibiotics over the years.
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia often infect people at the same time; therefore doctors usually prescribe treatment for both diseases.
If you have gonorrhea, all of your sexual partners should get tested and treated if infected, whether or not they have symptoms.
What are the best ways to prevent gonorrhea? The surest way to avoid any STI is to abstain from sexual contact or be in a long term mutually monogamous relationship with known uninfected person.
The use of condoms consistently and correctly during sexual activity (vaginal or rectal) can reduce your risk of infection.
The latest data for Florida shows an increase in number of cases (~19,000 to ~23,000) and rates per 100,000 people (111.
5 to 129.
0) from 2003 to the latest numbers in 2007.
The rate for the country as a whole is 118.
9 per 100,000 people (2007).
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused the bacterium, Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
This bacterium can infect the genital tract, mouth and rectum of both men and women.
Ejaculation does not have to occur for the disease to be transmitted.
It can also be transmitted from mother to baby during delivery.
Symptoms of gonorrhea usually appear with 2 to 5 days after sexual contact with an infected partner, occasionally symptoms make take longer to appear.
In women, infection may be asymptomatic.
If present, the early symptoms of gonorrhea are often mild.
The first symptoms in women are frequently; painful or burning sensations when urinating, an increase in discharge (yellow or bloody) and bleeding after intercourse.
Men have symptoms more often than women and they may include; a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis with pain, burning sensations during urination, and painful, swollen testicles.
While infection of the throat and rectum are frequently asymptomatic, rectal infection may have discharge, itching and painful bowel movements.
The complications of untreated gonorrhea are numerous.
The most common being pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection of the female reproductive tract.
Ectopic pregnancy may occur due to scar tissue that's formed in the fallopian tubes.
This can result in miscarriage or death of the mother.
In men, untreated gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can lead to infertility.
Rarely, untreated gonorrhea can spread through the blood to the joints, causing permanent joint damage (gonococcal arthritis).
Problems for the newborn that gets gonorrhea during delivery are blindness, joint and blood infections.
When a child has the infection in any part of the body, it's most commonly due to sexual abuse.
Gonorrhea can be diagnosed by several laboratory procedures.
These include staining samples directly for the bacteria, detecting bacterial genes or DNA and growing the organism in laboratory culture.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is treatable with antibiotics; however it has become resistant to many antibiotics over the years.
Gonorrhea and Chlamydia often infect people at the same time; therefore doctors usually prescribe treatment for both diseases.
If you have gonorrhea, all of your sexual partners should get tested and treated if infected, whether or not they have symptoms.
What are the best ways to prevent gonorrhea? The surest way to avoid any STI is to abstain from sexual contact or be in a long term mutually monogamous relationship with known uninfected person.
The use of condoms consistently and correctly during sexual activity (vaginal or rectal) can reduce your risk of infection.
Source...