OVERVIEW
Sexually transmitted diseases can affect the ability to have children. The structures of the male and female reproductive tract can be damaged by infection with an untreated STDs.
Gonorrhea: Gonorrhea is a common bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD) that can cause serious complications if not detected and treated. Gonorrhea testing identifies if the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the cause of a person's infection. Diagnosing and treating gonorrhea is very important in preventing long-term complications and spread of the infection to others. Gonorrhea is generally spread through sexual contact with an infected partner.
WHAT DOES THE TEST MEASURE?
This test measures the presence of gonorrhea in the urine sample. Men with gonorrhea will notice symptoms, most women do not or will mistake gonorrhea symptoms for a bladder or other vaginal infection. For men, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 5 days of infection but can take up to 30 days. Women who experience symptoms usually do so within 10 days of infection.
INTERPRETATION OF THE RESULT:
- A positive test indicates an active gonorrhea infection that requires treatment with a course of antibiotics.
- A negative test means that there is no evidence of infection at the time of the test. It is important for those who are at increased risk of infection to have screening tests performed on an annual basis to check for possible infection.
