Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea can infect the genitals (penis or vagina), anus (bottom), eyes and throat. Gonorrhoea can be passed from person to person during deep kissing, vaginal, anal, and oral sex with someone who has the infection.  

Without treatment, gonorrhoea can cause serious health problems. It can lead to scarring of the reproductive organs, reduced fertility (ability to become pregnant), chronic pelvic pain, or, in rare cases, spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body. 

Most people with gonorrhoea have no symptoms and can pass the infection on without knowing it. If symptoms do occur, they usually develop within 2 to 10 days after infection. 

Vaginal symptoms include: 

• Pelvic or lower abdominal pain 

• Vaginal bleeding or spotting after sex or in between regular menstrual periods 

• Pain or burning sensation while peeing 

• Unusual vaginal discharge 

Penile (penis) symptoms include: 

• Discharge from the penis often thick and yellow 

• Pain or burning sensation while peeing 

• Swollen and sore testicles (balls) 

Anal (bottom) symptoms include: 

• Pain, discomfort or itching around the anus 

• Discharge or bleeding from the anus 

• Pain during anal sex or bowel movements (pooing) 

• Feeling like you still need to poo after going to the toilet or incomplete emptying of the bowels 

Eyes symptoms include: 

• Red, sore or irritated eyes 

• Discharge from the eyes 

• Swelling around the eyelids 

There are usually no symptoms in the throat, however, sometimes there can be a sore throat that does not go away after a week. 

Gonorrhoea can be passed on through vaginal, anal and oral sex with someone who has the infection.

It can also be passed on through deep kissing, sharing sex toys that are not cleaned or covered with a new condom between users, and from a mother to her baby during childbirth. 

Many people with gonorrhoea have no symptoms and can pass it on without knowing.

You can reduce your risk of getting or passing on gonorrhoea by: 

If you or your partner has been diagnosed with gonorrhoea, do not have sex until 7 days after treatment is finished and symptoms have gone away. 

Testing for gonorrhoea is simple and confidential. Testing usually involves either:  

• A urine sample (peeing into a small jar), or 

• A swab taken from the vagina, penis, anus, eyes or throat. These swabs can usually be self-collected. 

These samples are sent to a lab for testing. If you test positive, your sexual partner(s) should also be tested and treated to help prevent the spread of gonorrhoea. 

• Any doctor’s office (GP) or medical centre 

• A sexual health clinic 

• University health clinics 

Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics (an injection and tablet) from your doctor or nurse. It is important to: 

• Take the medication as directed, even if symptoms improve before you finish treatment. 

• Avoid having sex until the antibiotics treatment is complete and symptoms have gone away. 

• Let your partner(s) know, so they can get tested and treated as well (your doctor or services like Let Them Know and Sexual Health Infolink can help). 

It is possible to get gonorrhoea again (reinfection) after treatment if you are exposed to the infection again. 

Some strains of gonorrhoea are becoming harder to treat due to antibiotic resistance (when the infection stops responding to treatment), so it’s important to follow medical advice and attend follow-up testing if recommended.