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Causes

By Mayo Clinic staff

Gonorrhea is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The gonorrhea bacteria are most often passed from one person to another during sexual contact, including oral, anal or vaginal intercourse.

Risk factors Symptoms
References
  1. Marrazzo JM, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In: Mandell JE, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=aboutPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..X0001-X--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&uniq=208746819. Accessed Nov. 22, 2010.
  2. CDC fact sheet: Gonorrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/gonorrhea-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Nov. 22, 2010.
  3. Del Rio C, et al. Update to CDC's "Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006:" Fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. 2007;56:332.
  4. Swygard H, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  5. Workowski KA, et al. Emerging antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Urgent need to strengthen prevention strategies. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2008;148:606.
  6. Holder NA. Gonococcal infections. Pediatrics in Review. 2008;29:228.
  7. Screening for gonorrhea: Recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf05/gonorrhea/gonrs.htm. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  8. Swygard H, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in men. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
  9. CDC no longer recommends oral drug for gonorrhea treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2012/GCTx-Guidelines-PressRelease.html. Accessed Aug. 10, 2012.
DS00180 Aug. 18, 2012

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