Gonorrhea
| Estimated number of new cases each year in the U.S.: | 700,000 |
| Statistics: | Approximately 75% of all reported cases of this STD are found in young people, ages 15-29. |
| Caused by: | The bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae |
| Symptoms: | The majority of men have some symptoms, including a burning sensation when urinating and a yellowish white discharge from the penis. Many women who are infected have no symptoms, or the symptoms are mild or mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. Women who do experience symptoms may have a painful or burning sensation when urinating and a vaginal discharge that is yellow or occasionally bloody. |
| Transmission: | Gonorrhea can be transmitted during vaginal, anal, or oral sex and can also be passed from an infected mother to her newborn during vaginal childbirth. Gonorrhea infection can spread to other unlikely parts of the body. For example, a person can get an eye infection after touching infected genitals and then the eyes. |
| Treatment: | Easily treated and cured with antibiotics |
| If Untreated: | In both women and men, untreated gonorrhea can lead to more serious infection and cause permanent problems, including damage to reproductive organs and infertility. If the infection spreads to blood or joints, it can be life-threatening. |
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Source for information on this page: CDC Division of STD Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/dstdp.html