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Gonorrhea
or microscope examination of the genital drainage. These genetic tests for chlamydia are much better and more sensitive tests.
Chlamydia can be treated with a variety of antibiotics, some of which can be given in pregnancy. Often, the sexual partner is treated as well in order to prevent another infection in the index case from occurring later. This is not a disease that a person can be permanently immune to. All patients should be followed up in three months in order to be tested again.
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GONORRHEA
Many people refer to gonorrhea as “the clap”. It is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Neisseria gonorrheae, which is a bacterium. The mouth, genitals, and rectum can be affected. Men will complain of testicular pain, urethral discharge, and burning on urination. Women will often have pelvic pain, pain on urination, vaginal discharge, and abnormal vaginal bleeding. Like chlamydia, gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women and epididymitis in men. Not everyone will have symptoms.
It is spread through sexual contact, including anal, vaginal, and oral sex. A child can get the disorder upon contact with the birth canal. It is recommended to screen all women under 25 years of age and in all men who have sex with men. It can be prevented by using a condom. The disease is less common than chlamydia, affecting less than 1 percent o all people.
It takes an average of 4 to 6 days to develop symptoms after exposure to the pathogen, if they are present at all. Throat infection involves a sore throat and swollen gland in the neck. Gonorrhea of the rectum and eyes can be seen in both men and women. Infants can develop severe infections of the eyes from contact with an infected birth canal.
When the disease spreads unchecked, this can lead to skin, joint, and other organ involvement Look for rashes and sores along with swollen and inflamed joints. It is possible to be allergic to gonorrhea, which makes the systemic infection worse. In rare cases, it can settle in the heart valves, leading to infective endocarditis, or can settle in the spinal column, leading to meningitis.
