What is Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This bacteria can grow in the urethra (pee-hole), vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and in some cases the mouth and/or throat. This means that anyone, with any body parts, is susceptible to getting gonorrhoea.

In Nova Scotia, Gonorrhoea rates remain quite low, but it is still present. Most recent data, from 2020 shows that 9 out of 100,000 Nova Scotians had Gonorrhea. While this makes it a lower risk STI for sexually active Nova Scotians, it is still important to know about and prevent because complications of this infection can be quite serious.

What are the long term effects of Gonorrhea?

If Gonorrhea is left untreated, it can lead to some fairly serious health conditions. These conditions and risks vary depending on what body parts you have. In some cases, it can even develop into a life-threatening condition.

For people with uteruses and/or cervixes: The most common long-term risk of untreated gonorrhoea is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). The symptoms of PID can include:

• Fever and chills
• Pain, aching and/or cramping in the abdomen, lower back, and during sex
• Unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding, or urination (peeing)

PID can be quite painful and sometimes lead to infertility or make it more difficult to conceive.

In folks with testicles, untreated chlamydia can lead to epididymitis, where the testicles become swollen and painful. Epididymitis, in rare cases, can lead to infertility.

For all bodies, rare cases of untreated gonorrhoea can lead to disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI), a painful condition that can be life threatening. This condition occurs when the infection spreads to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. It can lead to a number of conditions including:

• Septic arthritis (infection in the joints that can lead to long-term joint damage)
• Skin lesions
• Endocarditis (inflammation of the heart)
• Meningitis (inflammation of the tissue around the brain and spinal cord).

How can I prevent transmitting Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhoea is spread through sexual contact with someone who has a gonorrhoea infection. This includes any contact with mouths or genitals. It can also be passed on to babies during pregnancy, childbirth or breast/chest – feeding.

The three, most important steps in preventing the spread of gonorrhoea is using barrier protection, getting tested, and talking to your partners about risk. Protection creates a barrier that prevents the passing of fluids from one person to another, which stops the bacteria from passing as well. You can learn more about what protection options are available to you, and how to use them, in our ‘Barrier Protection and Contraception’ section. If someone has an infection in their throat or mouth, gonorrhoea can still be spread through kissing which is why testing is so important, even for folks who use protection consistently and correctly.

How can I get tested for Gonorrhea?

In Nova Scotia, the most commonly used test where a sample is collected by swabing your genitals, anus, and/or throat or a urine sample. People can test reliably 48 hours after exposure using this test. This means that the test will be accurate as long as you didn’t get the infection within 48 hours of when you took the test.

It is a great idea to test regularly for Gonorrhea as a part of your sexual health testing routine. You can at most places that do other STI tests, check out our where to get tested page, or SugarHealth to find out where to get tested near you.

Can Gonorrhoea be treated?

Yes! Gonorrhoea can be treated with antibiotics. Generally in Nova Scotia you will be prescribed a combination of antibiotics to be taken at the same time, this is because some strains of gonorrhoea can be resistant to a certain type of bacteria, and so treating with a combination antibiotic is more likely to be effective right away. Typically, antibiotics are prescribed for 2 weeks, although this may vary and you must always follow the instructions given to you from your doctor.

You can learn more about where HEAL NS got this information from at:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/chlamydia-gonorrhea-infectious-syphilis-canada-2020-infographic.html
https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea-detailed.htm#:~:text=What%20is%20gonorrhea%3F,urethra%20in%20women%20and%20men
https://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/stdfact-gonorrhea-detailed.htm
*disclaimer: we do not necessarily endorse all of the information, content, or language used in these references.