Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria that is transmitted through unprotected sex. The number of gonorrhoea infections in Finland has increased over the past 10 years, and the number was particularly high in 2022 with nearly 1,000 diagnosed infections. Three out of four infections were diagnosed in men. If you have any cause to believe that you may have gonorrhoea, please do not hesitate to get tested. If left untreated, gonorrhoea may cause severe consequences.
- Gonorrhoea is transmitted through unprotected sex.
- The average incubation period of gonorrhoea before any symptoms occur is 2–5 days, and it can be longer in female patients, up to 2–3 weeks.
- It is easy to diagnose gonorrhoea and to treat it with antibiotics.
Gonorrhoea is often associated with certain symptoms, but sometimes the infection may also be asymptomatic.
Symptoms of gonorrhoea in male patients:
- intense burning sensation during and after urination
- frequent need to urinate
- purulent urethral discharge.
If left untreated, gonorrhoea may cause pain during an erection, constrictions in the urethra or epididymitis.
Symptoms of gonorrhoea in female patients:
- minor lower abdominal pain
- vaginal discharge
- burning sensation when urinating.
If left untreated, gonorrhoea may cause pelvic inflammatory disease, in which the infection spreads through the cervix to the uterus and fallopian tubes. The symptoms may include severe abdominal pain aggravated by movement, increased vaginal discharge or bloody spotting, fever and tenderness of the uterus and its adjacent organs during an internal examination. Pelvic inflammatory disease caused by gonorrhoea can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancies and prolonged lower abdominal pain.
The most common locations of a gonorrhoea infection are:
- the urethra
- the mouth and throat
- the rectum
- the cervix
- the infection can also spread to the eyes through the fingers.
Gonorrhoea can also spread to the eyes through the fingers. Depending on the type of sex, a gonorrhoea infection of the mouth and throat is also possible. In the case of oral gonorrhoea, the symptoms include a burning sensation in the mouth, a sore throat and inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis).
Gonorrhoea is usually treatable with a combination of several antibiotics. Regular sexual partners should be treated at the same time. Gonorrhoea strains resistant to several antibiotics have developed over the years, so a culture sample is taken before treatment.
After treatment, you should refrain from having sex for one week and use condoms and oral protection during intercourse until a negative test is obtained in the follow-up examination four weeks after treatment.
The expert for this article was Veli-Jukka Anttila, a specialist in infectious diseases and internal medicine.
Gonorrhoea is often associated with certain symptoms, but sometimes the infection may also be asymptomatic. The most common symptoms of gonorrhoea in men include severe burning sensation during or after urination, frequent need to urinate and purulent urethral discharge. In women, symptoms of gonorrhoea include minor lower abdominal pain, vaginal discharge and a burning sensation when urinating.
Gonorrhoea in the mouth is possible depending on the type of sex. Symptoms of oral gonorrhoea usually include a burning sensation in the mouth, a sore throat and inflammation of the mouth (stomatitis).
If you think you may have a gonorrhoea infection, it is advisable to study the possibility of infection with a laboratory test. Most cases of gonorrhoea can be diagnosed with a urine sample, in which a possible chlamydia infection can also be detected. If oral or rectal gonorrhoea is suspected, a swab sample is always required.
Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics. Gonorrhoea is usually treated with a combination of several antibiotics. The infected person’s sexual partner should also be tested and treated at the same time. After treatment, you should refrain from having sex for one week and use condoms or oral protection during intercourse until a negative test is obtained in the follow-up examination four weeks after treatment.
In men, untreated gonorrhoea may cause pain during an erection, strictures in the urethra and epididymitis. In women, the most severe sequela of untreated gonorrhoea is pelvic inflammatory disease, which may lead to infertility if left untreated.
You should get tested if you are experiencing gonorrhoea-like symptoms. If your sexual partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhoea, you should also get tested, even if you are asymptomatic. All sexual partners from the past 3–6 months should be informed of the infection and referred for testing. Most cases of gonorrhoea can be diagnosed with a urine sample, in which a possible chlamydia infection can also be detected. However, in the case of suspected oral or rectal gonorrhoea, a sample of the possibly infected region must be taken.
Do you suspect a gonorrhoea infection and would you like to discuss the matter with one of our specialists? Sexually transmitted diseases and genital skin diseases are among the areas of expertise of our dermatologists.
You can book an appointment online or by calling +358 (0)10 414 00.
