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What is it?

Gonorrhea is a bacteria. You can get it from vaginal, oral or anal sex with an infected person. You can get the infection in your throat, penis, vagina or anus.

What are the symptoms?

There are often no symptoms. But if you do have them, they are:

• Burning feeling when urinating
• Green discharge
• Swollen painful testicles in men
• Vaginal bleeding between periods in women
• Pelvic pain or pain with intercourse in women

What are the effects?

If left untreated, gonorrhea in women can cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease , a very painful disease that can cause infertility or even death.

In men, gonorrhea can be very painful and lead to sterility. Gonorrhea can also spread to the blood or joints.

If you are exposed to HIV and you have gonorrhea, its more likely that you’ll get HIV.

If you have a rectal infection, symptoms can include discharge, itching, soreness, bleeding, or painful bowel movements.

Infections in the throat may cause a sore throat.

Is there a cure?

Gonorrhea can be cured with antibiotics. However, it is important to know that there are new kinds of gonorrhea that resist drugs, so see your medical provider immediately if your symptoms don’t go away after you take the medicine.