Gonorrhea’s Rising Rates

What is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection. It is prevalent among young people between the ages of 15-24 and is transmitted through vaginal, oral and anal sex. Gonorrhea can present asymptomatically, resulting in the increased spread of this STI and, if left untreated, can lead to infertility in women. . Gonorrhea can cause symptoms in the genitals, anus or throat and symptoms may present differently based on gender. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that in 2020 there were an estimated 82.4 million new infections among adults globally. So how do we reduce this number?

Signs & Symptoms

As mentioned, gonorrhea can often present without symptoms. This is problematic because without testing to confirm its presence, the infection is then spread unknowingly. So testing is a critical component of stopping the spread of gonorrhea. If symptoms are present, they can vary as to how they present between genders. The WHO lists the symptoms as:

In men, common symptoms may include the following:
• pain or burn when urinating
• a white, yellow or greenish discharge from the penis
• painful or swollen testes

Although most women with gonorrhea do not have symptoms or do not notice them, if they do present, they can include the following:
• pain or burning when urinating
• vaginal discharge
• vaginal bleeding between periods or during sexual intercourse

Anal infections may present in any gender as the following:
• discharge
• bleeding
• itchiness
• soreness
• painful bowel movements.

Throat infections are often asymptomatic. Otherwise, they may just present as a cold with pain, redness and a sore throat.

Treatment

Gonorrhea is one of the treatable and generally curable STIs. Yet it continues to rise. The Public Health Agency of Canada states that pre-pandemic, gonorrhea rates were rising rapidly. The 2021 gonorrhea rate was lower than the 2019 rate, although, 124% higher than the 2012 rate. This reduction in 2021 is often a reflection of a lack of testing availability during Covid and not a true reflection of the actual incidence rate.
Gonorrhea is treatable with antibiotics as it is bacterial in nature. The biggest issue that has arisen over the years is that gonorrhea is becoming resistant to the medications available, resulting in less options for treatment. This awareness has at least been the impetus behind the testing of new drugs to help treat this STI.

Prevention

Condoms continue to offer the one of the most effective methods of prevention as long as they are used consistently and correctly for anal and vaginal sexual activity. Oral barriers (aka dams) are the most effective prevention method for any oral/anal or oral/vaginal sexual activity when used consistently and correctly.

Another effective prevention path is through communication. Talk with your sexual partners about using condoms and dams, ask about testing and their health status, and be open about yours. Although these conversations may seem daunting at first, discussing one’s health, any aspect of it, needs to be normalized. Removing the stigma and shame surrounding STIs and sexual wellness will aid in the transmission of the infections and normalize prevention activities.

And lastly, education needs to be expanded to include sexual health and wellness for all to increase the awareness of the prevention and treatment options available. Increasing awareness, normalizing sexual health, and communicating and offering treatment and prevention options to all demographics, specifically any vulnerable demographics, will provide the necessary information and awareness of preventative options.

The Public Health Agency of Canada lists the following preventative actions:

• Learn about safer sex methods and practice them.
• Make informed decisions. Talk to your partner(s) about their STI status.
• Correctly and consistently use a condom and oral dams during sex.
• Get tested for gonorrhea, and other STIs, if you are sexually active, and encourage your sexual partner(s) to get tested.
• It is important that you or someone from your public health department notify any sexual partners who may have been put at risk of infection. They will also need to be tested and possibly treated.

All aspects of our health are intertwined. Sexual health can impact one’s physical health, emotional health, mental health, and reproductive health. Sexual health needs to be recognized as an integral part of our wellness so that everyone can make informed and comprehensive decisions.