Gonorrhea (Microbiology Presentation)

STATS

according to the CDC

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

There are 400,000 undiagnosed cases

of Gonorrhea

• 820,000 cases of gonorrhea annually and less than half of these are reported to CDC
• 570,000 are 15-24 years of age
• In 2011, there are 321, 849 cases reported to CDC.

Incidence extrapolation for US

• 66,666 cases/month
• 15,384 cases/day

or

1 case per minute...

Preventions:

• Abstinence (not having sexual intercourse)
• Monogamous sexual relationship
• Using condoms
• No Vaccines for gonorrhea

What is Gonorrhea?

Sexually transmitted disease caused by Neisseria gonorrheae

Family Neisseriaceae

N. gonorrheae

Symptoms:

In men and women:

• Burning and Pain while urinating
• Increased urinary frequency and urgency
• white, yellow or green discharged from the penis
• Red or swollen opening of urethra
• tender or swollen testicles

• gram negative, bean-shaped, diplococci
• usually seen in pair with the adjacent side are flattened
• do not survive long outside the host
• Pili which play a major role in adherence

• Can easily grow in the warm moist areas of reproductive tract including cervix, uterus, fallopian tube (in women) and in urethra (men and women)
• Can also grow in the mouth, eyes, and anus

Symptoms:

• Sore throat (gonococcal pharyngitis)
• gonococcal conjunctivitis
• Increased vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding between periods
• Painful sexual intercourse
• Severe pain in lower abdomen

If not treated gonorrhea can also spread to the blood stream or joint that can cause:

• Joint infection (Gonococcal arthritis)
• Meningitis
• Endocarditis

Tests and Treatments:

Complications:

• scarring of fallopian tubes (salpingitis)
• ectopic pregnancy
• Infertility
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

DNA Tests

Cultures

Gram Stain

• Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT)
• LCR (ligase chain reaction)
• ELISA testing is done from a sample fluid from the penis or cervix

• Endocervical culture in women
• Urethral discharge culture in men
• Throat swab
• Rectal Cx
• Cx of joint fluid
• Blood Cx

• Cervical gram stain
• Gram stain of urethral discharge in men
• Joint fluid gram stain

Get Yourself Tested

Treatments

People who have had gonorrhea and have been treated may get infected again if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea

Text your (zip code) to GYTNOW (498669)

Many sites offer FREE or low cost tests!!!

• Ceftriaxone injection combined with either azithromycin or doxycycline (orally)
• If you are younger than 26 y/o, you need the HPV vaccine.
• A follow-up visit 7 days after treatment is important if joint pain, skin rash, or more severe pelvic or abdominal pain is present. Tests will be done to make sure the infection is gone.
• Tell your partner
• In some places, the health department will contact your partner
• Not telling your partner about an STD's confirmed diagnosis may be a criminal offense in some states.

References:

Latest News About Gonorrhea

• http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea.htm
• http://www.itsyoursexlife.com/gyt/talk/talking-to-your-partner-text-only-version/
• http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/super-gonorrhea-sweeping-globe-health-experts-warn-article-1.1090959
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007267.htm
• http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/g/gonorrhea/prevalence.htm

• Super gonorrhea - multi-drug resistant gonorrhea or cephalosporin-resistant could emerge in US
• Treating sexual transmitted infections cost the US healthcare system nearly $16 billlion in direct medical cost.

Gonorrhea

Let's have a talk.

Michael Patrick Argarin

BIOL251-001