Medically Reviewed

Chrysoula I. Liakou

MD, PhD, Internal Medicine Specialist and
Cancer Immunology Researcher.

What Is Gonorrhoea?

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect both males and females and spreads through sexual fluids, like semen and vaginal fluid. You can get gonorrhoea from vaginal, oral, or anal sex, and a mother can pass it to her baby during childbirth.

Gonorrhoea doesn’t always show symptoms, which is why people may not know they have it. This can make it easy to pass the infection to others. If symptoms do appear, they might include a white, yellow, or green discharge from the penis or vagina and pain or burning when peeing. Some people have no symptoms at all, so getting tested if you’re sexually active is important.

If gonorrhoea isn’t treated, it can cause serious health problems. In women, it can spread to the uterus or fallopian tubes and cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which may lead to infertility. In men, it can cause swelling in the tubes that carry sperm, which can also lead to infertility.

Gonorrhoea Symptoms

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection that can affect different parts of your body, like the genitals, rectum, or throat. Sometimes, people with gonorrhoea don’t have any symptoms, so they might not know they have it. But when symptoms do appear, they can vary between men and women.

Symptoms In Men

Men might start to notice symptoms 2 to 30 days after being exposed, but sometimes they show up much later or not at all. Common symptoms include:

A burning or painful feeling when peeing
Discharge from the penis that can be white, yellow, green, or milky
Swollen or painful testicles
Redness or swelling around the opening of the penis
Rectal symptoms like itching, soreness, discharge, or pain when having a bowel movement

Symptoms In Women

Women may have mild symptoms that can seem like a yeast infection or another common issue. These symptoms can show up a few days or weeks after being exposed, and they include:

Watery, creamy, or greenish discharge from the vagina
Pain or burning when peeing
Needing to pee more often
Bleeding between periods or heavier periods
Pain during sex
Pain in the lower stomach
Rectal symptoms like itching, discharge, or pain when having a bowel movement

Other Symptoms

If gonorrhoea affects the throat, it usually doesn’t cause any symptoms. However, some people might get a sore throat or have swollen glands in their neck. In rare cases, gonorrhoea can cause pink eye if the bacteria get into your eye.

If you notice any of these symptoms or think you might have been exposed, see a doctor right away for testing and treatment.

Gonorrhoea Causes

Gonorrhoea is caused by bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These bacteria grow in warm, moist areas of the body, like the genitals, mouth, throat, eyes, and rectum.

Gonorrhoea spreads through sexual contact. This means you can get it from having vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who has the infection. It doesn’t matter if there is no ejaculation (no fluids released); the bacteria can still be passed. Even close genital contact without penetration can spread the infection. Sharing sex toys that haven’t been washed or covered with a new condom can also spread gonorrhoea.

Anyone can get gonorrhoea, no matter their gender. In females, the infection often starts in the cervix. In males, it usually begins in the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine out of the body.

A pregnant woman with gonorrhoea can pass it to her baby during birth, which can be dangerous for the baby. However, gonorrhoea does not spread through casual contact, like touching toilet seats, shaking hands, or sharing food and drinks.