What is Blennorrhagia (or Gonorrhoea)?
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It is the second most common bacterial STI worldwide after chlamydia.
Gonorrhoea is spread through any type of sexual activity (vaginal, anal and oral sex). A pregnant woman who becomes infected with gonorrhoea may, during delivery, pass the infection on to her baby, who may develop neonatal conjunctivitis. Fortunately, neonatal conjunctivitis has practically disappeared in industrialized countries, thanks to routine antibiotic prophylaxis at birth.
If left untreated, gonorrhoea can result in severe complications. In women, it can spread from the cervix to the upper reproductive tract (uterus and Fallopian tubes), causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which encompasses a spectrum of symptoms and conditions, such as endometritis, salpingitis, adnexitis, fever, chronic pelvic pain, pain during or after sexual intercourse, internal abscesses and infertility. In pregnant women, gonorrhoea can cause premature rupture of membranes, intrauterine growth restriction, chorioamnionitis or preterm delivery, and can be passed on during childbirth to the baby, who may develop neonatal conjunctivitis (this condition has almost disappeared in industrialized countries). One of the most common complications of gonorrhoea in men is epididymitis, an acute inflammation of the epididymis which usually presents with unilateral scrotal pain and swelling; if left untreated, inflammation of the epididymis and testicles may lead to infertility. In addition, people infected with gonorrhoea are more likely to spread and/or contract HIV.