Gonorrhea Test: Related Pages

At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To screen for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea

When to Get Tested?

If you have symptoms of gonorrhoea or are pregnant

Sample Required?

A swab of secretion or discharge from the infected area

The Test Sample

What is being tested?

The test is looking for evidence of the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhoea. Gonorrhoea is easily treated but can cause severe reproductive and health problems if left untreated.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A swab is used to get a sample of secretion or discharge from the infected area such as the cervix, urethra, penis, anus, or throat. A urine sample is used in some tests. Many doctors will take a sample from more than one body site to increase the likelihood of finding the bacteria.

NOTE: If undergoing medical tests makes you or someone you care for anxious, embarrassed, or even difficult to manage, you might consider reading one or more of the following articles: Coping with Test Pain, Discomfort, and Anxiety, Tips on Blood Testing, Tips to Help Children through Their Medical Tests, and Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests.

Another article, Follow That Sample, provides a glimpse at the collection and processing of a blood sample and throat culture.

The Test

How is it used?

The test is used in two ways:

to diagnose the cause of symptoms, and
to screen sexually active people.

A definitive diagnosis is important because gonorrhoea can resemble chlamydia, and the two disorders require different treatment.

^ Back to top

When is it requested?

A doctor may request the test if you have symptoms such as (for women) a yellow or bloody vaginal discharge, bleeding associated with vaginal intercourse, or burning/painful urination; or (for men) pus discharging from the penis or a burning sensation during urination.

^ Back to top

What does the test result mean?

A positive test indicates an active infection that requires treatment with a course of antibiotics.

^ Back to top

Is there anything else I should know?

Many people contract gonorrheoa without knowing it, because symptoms are very mild or even absent. If you test positive for gonorrhoea, you should also be screened for other sexually transmitted diseases and your sexual partner(s) should be tested and treated as well.

If you are infected, your risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases increases, including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The diagnosis of a sexually transmitted disease should not be ruled out if the test is negative; patients' clinical symptoms and history should also be considered.

^ Back to top

Common Questions

1. What are the symptoms of gonorrhoea?

For women, early symptoms (which are often mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection) include bleeding brought on by vaginal intercourse, burning/painful urination, and a yellow or bloody vaginal discharge. For men, early symptoms include a discharge of pus from the penis, pain in the penis, and a burning sensation when urinating. Symptoms of rectal infection include discharge, itching, and painful bowel movements with blood on the faeces.

The symptoms usually appear 2 to 10 days after sexual contact with an infected partner. The early symptoms can be mild, and most women and many men can be infected without showing any symptoms.

^ Back to top

2. What will happen if I don't get treated?

Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to severe complications. Women can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that spreads from the vagina and cervix to the uterus and fallopian tubes. PID can cause scarring of the fallopian tubes, which can lead to or sterility. The symptoms of PID include heavier periods with more cramps, abnormal mucus discharges, pain in the lower abdomen, weakness, fever, vomiting, and pain during intercourse. Other long-term complications include abscesses and infection around the liver. In men, the infection can lead to an of the testicles that can result in sterility. The can also spread to the bloodstream and infect the , heart valves or brain, resulting in long-term or permanent damage.

^ Back to top

3. How is gonorrhoea transmitted?

It is generally transmitted through sexual contact (oral, vaginal, or anal) with an infected partner. Because the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae can survive outside the body for a short time, contact with discharge on a towel or other object used by an infected person may transmit the infection; however, this is very rare. An infected mother can spread the disease to her baby during childbirth.

^ Back to top

4. How is it treated?

Gonorrhoea can be treated with a course of antibiotics.

^ Back to top

5. How can it be prevented?

For information on prevention, see the 'Playing Safe' website. See the Related Pages to get to the website.

^ Back to top

Ask a Laboratory Scientist

Article Sources

« Return to Related Pages

NOTE: This article is based on research that utilizes the sources cited here as well as the collective experience of the Lab Tests Online Editorial Review Board. This article is periodically reviewed by the Editorial Board and may be updated as a result of the review. Any new sources cited will be added to the list and distinguished from the original sources used.