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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffGonorrhea is an infection caused by a sexually transmitted bacterium that can infect both males and females. Gonorrhea most often affects the urethra, rectum or throat. In females, gonorrhea can also infect the cervix.
Most people contract gonorrhea during sex. But babies can be infected during childbirth if their mothers are infected. In babies, gonorrhea most commonly affects the eyes.
Gonorrhea is a common infection, and in some cases, causes no symptoms. You may not even know that you're infected. Abstaining from sex, using a condom if you do have sex and being in a mutually monogamous relationship are the best ways to prevent sexually transmitted infections.
- 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.
- CDC fact sheet: Gonorrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/gonorrhea/gonorrhea-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed Nov. 22, 2010.
- 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.
- Swygard H, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
- Workowski KA, et al. Emerging antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Urgent need to strengthen prevention strategies. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2008;148:606.
- Holder NA. Gonococcal infections. Pediatrics in Review. 2008;29:228.
- Screening for gonorrhea: Recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf05/gonorrhea/gonrs.htm. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
- Swygard H, et al. Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in men. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
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