What is it?

A sexually-transmitted disease that is often without symptoms. If there are symptoms in the female, they include frequent and painful urination, cloudy vaginal discharge, vaginal itching, inflammation of the pelvic area, and abnormal uterine bleeding. If the male has a purulent (pus-like) urethral discharge, he should assume he has gonorrhea until proven otherwise.

	Gonorrhea are bacteria and easily treated. Men and women often complain of a discharge, frequent urination, or burning when they urinate. In gonorrhea the discharge is often white, in chlamydia the discharge is usually clear. Both gonorrhea and chlamydia are spread by coming in contact with the discharge.
	Gonorrhea causing Epididymitis If the infection spreads to the reproductive tract (a structure attached to the testicle) the person will have an infection of the Epididymis. Symptoms include: -- Tender testicles -- Swollen testicles -- Sterility can result if left untreated.
	DGI (Disseminated Gonococcal Infection) Skin lesion (foot) - necrotic pustule Gonorrhea left untreated can result in very serious complications and can even cause death in women who become pregnant. Bacteria can spread to the bloodstream and infect the joints, heart valves or the brain.
	DGI (Disseminated Gonococcal Infection) Arthritis - erosion of the fourth metatarsal in the left foot
	Ophthalmia neonatorum (gonococcal conjunctivitis) The most common gonorrhea untreated risk, however, is pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection of the female reproductive organs that occurs in an estimated 1 million American women each year. PID can scar or damage cells lining the fallopian tubes, resulting in infertility in as many as 10 percent of women affected. In others, the damage prevents the proper passage of the fertilized egg into the uterus. If this happens, the egg may implant in the tube; this is called an ectopic or tubal pregnancy and is life threatening to the woman if not detected early.