Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the UK and is caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.  It occurs most frequently in people under the age of 25 years, in men who have sex with men and in people living in large cities.

Gonorrhoea is transmitted by unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex (or sharing sex toys); from an infected mother to her baby at birth and sometimes from genitals to fingers to eyes where it may cause an eye infection (conjunctivitis)

Chlamydia cannot be caught by kissing, hugging, sharing baths or towels, using swimming pools or from toilet seats.

Women may not notice anything wrong but, as the Infection usually starts in the cervix (neck of the womb) and can then spread internally to the uterus (womb), fallopian tubes and ovaries, women may notice increased vaginal discharge, irregular vaginal bleeding, lower abdominal pain or burning pain when passing urine

Men usually notice a discharge from the tip of the penis and/or a burning pain when passing urine but, if it spreads to the testicles, may notice pain and swelling in the scrotum.

Symptoms in men usually appear within 2-5 days of catching the infection whilst Infections in women, the throat or rectum usually go unnoticed.

Swabs taken from the vagina, rectum and throat can check for gonorrhoea as well as urine (in men only). Swabs and urine tests are most accurate 14 days after sexual contact with gonorrhoea.

Gonorrhoea is treated with a single dose of antibiotic usually given by injection. Occasionally a second course of antibiotics is needed if symptoms fail to resolve or a resistant strain of gonorrhoea is identified. All sexual partners from the past three months should be tested and treated if necessary.

In women gonorrhoea may spread from the lower to the upper genital tract causing pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID increases the risk of infertility and complications of pregnancy.

In men gonorrhoea may spread from the urethra to the testicles causing epididymo-orchitis

In both women and men gonorrhoea can infect joints and cause painful, swollen joints

You can be re-infected with gonorrhoea so to prevent this, all partners must be treated as well. Infected individuals and their treated partners are advised not to have sex for one week (including oral sex and sex with condoms). Individuals treated with a single dose of antibiotic should wait until one week after treatment.

You should take another gonorrhoea test three weeks after treatment, then once a year or if you have a new sexual partner

Gonorrhoea can infect pregnant women and it is important that it is treated to prevent the baby being infected during childbirth. In new born babies gonorrhoea may cause redness of the eyes (conjunctivitis). A treated pregnant woman should re-test three weeks after completing their gonorrhoeatreatment.