Gonorrhea STD Science Fair Project Group Members: Tiffany Jackson, Rachel Roessel, Siobhan Murphy.

Symptoms For women:For men Greenish yellow or whitish discharge Lower abdominal or pelvic pain Bleeding btwn. periods Swelling of the vulva Burning throat, swollen throat glands (oral sex) Conjunctivitis (pink eye) *symptoms can be hard to identify, many women self-diagnose and treat themselves for a yeast infection Greenish yellow or whitish discharge Burning when urinating Painful or swollen testicals Burning throat, swollen throat glands (oral sex) *symptoms usually begin 2-5 days but can take up to 30 days to become noticeable

Current Treatments Gonorrhea can be tested at the doctor with a urine sample or a swab from the throat or rectum. Infections are successfully treated with an oral or injected antibiotic. Individuals should not have sex until after taking all of their medicine and their partner should be treated as well in order to prevent reinfection or further spreading of the disease.

Consequences If left untreated it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, this can damage the fallopian tubes which connect the uterus and the ovaries and even cause infertility. Increased chance of ectopic pregnancy (egg dev. Outside the uterus) this is dangerous to both the mother and the child Can spread to the blood or joints and be life threatening Can cause epididymitis, a painful condition of the testicles that can sometimes lead to infertility. Can affect the prostate and make urination difficult. Can spread to the blood or joints and be life threatening For Children If a woman with gonorrhea gets pregnant it can cause premature birth or a miscarriage. The infection can be passed on to her baby and cause blindness, joint infection or a life threatening blood disease. For Women For Men

Statistics How many effected nowHow many cases each year There were 334,826 reported cases of gonorrhea in the U.S. Gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported infectious disease in the U.S. Each year, according to the CDC, there are as many as 700,000 new cases, with less than half of them reported to the CDC.

How it is spread Gonorrhea is transmitted through sexual contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or anus of an infected partner. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. It can also be spread from mother to baby during childbirth. People who have had the disease and received treatment may be reinfected if they have sexual contact with a person infected with gonorrhea.

Who is at greatest risk of contracting this disease Age GroupWhy? Teen girls (15-19 years of age) Young Women (20-24 years of age) This likely reflects multiple factors, including biological differences that place females at greater risk for STDs than males, as well as higher STD screening rates among young women.

Relationship to Other STDs Untreated gonorrhea can increase a person’s risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Gonorrhea and chlamydia are both caused by bacteria, often occur together, and are treated with antibiotics. Gonorrhea and chlamydia occur in the same places, such as the mouth, reproductive organs, the urethra, and the rectum. Gonorrhea and chlamydia have similar symptoms, if any at all.

Extra Information Gonorrhea can be prevented by using a condom, knowing one’s partner’s sexual history, and avoiding contact with any genital sores. If a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she may give the infection to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal during delivery. This can cause blindness, joint infection, or a life- threatening blood infection in the baby. Even when condoms are used, it is possible for gonorrhea to spread. This is because a condom does not necessarily cover a sore or an infected area completely and this exposure is enough to transfer the disease.

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