This is an STI that is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae or gonococcus, it is found in vaginal fluid or discharge from the penis and is easily passed on through unprotected intercourse. The infection can also appear in other parts of the body such as the rectum, throat and eyes.

Symptoms of Gonorrhoea

The symptoms of gonorrhoea usually appear within two to three weeks of being infected but can take months and in approximately half of women and one in ten men no symptoms are present. If there are no symptoms then the condition could go un-diagnosed and if left untreated the condition can lead to longer term health problems and even infertility.

Symptoms present themselves differently in men and women.

In women they include:-

• Unusual discharge which may be thick and green or yellow in colour
• Pain when urinating
• Bleeding between periods or increase in intensity of the period
• Tenderness in the lower abdomen

In men they include:-

• Unusual discharge from the tip of the penis which can be white, yellow or green in colour
• Pain when urinating
• Swelling of the foreskin
• Tenderness in the testicles or prostate gland

The infection can be also be passed from a pregnant woman to her baby during childbirth. The symptoms in a newborn baby will present as red, swollen eyes with a thick pus-like discharge similar to conjunctivitis. These symptoms usually show within the first two weeks.