Treatment methods for gonorrhea, symptoms, routes of infection, prevention

Disease: what is it?

You can become infected with gonorrhea through contact with an infected person. The predominant percentage of cases occur in intimate acts with such people without the use of barrier methods of protection. However, sometimes treatment for gonorrhea is required for people who have acquired the pathological bacterium through non-sexual contact. The risk is especially high for girls - there are many cases where infection was explained by the use of common objects at the same time as the patient. As a rule, infection occurs through washcloths and towels. This is explained by the ability of gonococcus to survive for some time in a humid environment.

Sometimes symptoms of gonorrhea indicating the need for treatment were observed in people who did not wash their hands very often and thoroughly. In infants, the pathogen can be acquired from the mother, usually at birth. As a rule, gonococcus is localized in the eyes and mouth.

There are several types of gonorrhea

-sharp;
-chronic;

- latent.

In the acute form, the disease manifests itself sharply and with pronounced symptoms. This form, even with appropriate treatment, can last up to two months. If the initial treatment of gonorrhea does not help and the disease progresses for more than two months, then it becomes chronic, and more aggressive drugs are prescribed for treatment. Like any sexually transmitted disease, gonorrhea can manifest itself repeatedly, which indicates improper treatment. However, when the disease relapses, the symptoms do not manifest themselves as clearly as at the time of relapse there is no acute inflammatory process.

The latent form of gonorrhea is characterized by the absence of its symptoms. With this form, the patient does not experience either an inflammatory process or the manifestation of any symptoms, but tests show the presence of gonococci.

Basic points

Signs of gonorrhea indicating the need for treatment appear days or weeks after contact with an infected individual. For some, the incubation period lasts only a few days, for others it lasts for a month. During this entire period there are no symptoms, but a person can pass on the pathology further.

Manifestations of the disease depend on the gender of the infected person. Men more often suffer from burning and itching when passing urine, and the substance itself contains pus. The urethra is a source of purulent, unpleasant-smelling discharge. In this case, the person feels pain, there may be general heat, swelling and redness of the reproductive organs. Pain in the intestinal tract is a symptom of gonorrhea in men indicating the need for treatment. Occurs if gonococcus is localized in the intestines, especially severe during bowel movements.

The symptoms of gonorrhea that indicate infection and the need for treatment differ in men and women. Women suffer from yellowish profuse vaginal discharge, pain in the lower abdomen due to swelling of the vagina and cervix. The frequency of urination increases. Defecation is accompanied by pain if the disease develops according to the proctitis scenario. Often the symptoms are quite weak, so they are neglected. In this case, the person poses a danger to others, and the disease can take a chronic form.

Emergency measures

Prevention of gonorrhea can be emergency. The need to engage in such measures arises if intimate unprotected contact has occurred with a person infected with gonococci.

Timely manipulations will help reduce the risk of contracting gonorrhea:

• Using antibacterial soap, you need to thoroughly wash the external genitalia. To thoroughly treat the skin and mucous tissues, it is recommended to carry out the procedure three to five times in a row.
• After completing the first procedure, dry the skin thoroughly and then treat it with a disinfectant. For example, Chlorhexidine, Miramistin are suitable. In the absence of these drugs, you can use hydrogen peroxide.
• Immediately after completion of sexual intercourse, both women and men are advised to visit the toilet. This measure will help partially flush out pathogenic flora from the urethra. It should be noted that urine also has a slight disinfecting effect.
• The specifics and methods of treatment directly depend on what the sexual intercourse was like. For example, during anal or oral sex, a woman is recommended to treat the oral cavity and rectum with an antiseptic. Additionally, you can insert a tampon soaked in an antiseptic into the vagina. It should be held for one to two minutes. It is important to be careful, as the procedure can cause burns to mucous tissues.

What to do?

The sooner treatment for gonorrhea can be started, the easier it will be to eliminate the disease, and the fewer negative consequences and complications you will have to endure. Treatment is required for both partners. At the first stage of the disease, infection can be eliminated with just one procedure.

Treatment of gonorrhea with antibiotics is most often done with Ceftriaxone. The drug is injected into muscle tissue once. Dosage – a quarter of a gram. As a rule, this is enough for a complete recovery. An alternative option is one Cefixime tablet (400 mg of active substance) or an injection of Spectinomycin. The last indicated drug is used in an amount of 2 g, injected into muscle tissue. One injection is enough.

It will be much more difficult to treat gonorrhea if the inflammation has spread and affected the uterus, appendages, testicles, and prostate. In this case, it will not be possible to get rid of the disease in one procedure. The doctor will develop a treatment regimen based on the characteristics of the disease. You will have to carefully follow all recommendations. The duration of the course is from a week to four. Intimate contacts, including protected ones, are prohibited for the entire period.

Gonorrhea prevention

The main type of prevention of this dangerous disease is timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases. To do this, you need to regularly undergo medical examinations at the district clinic, including an examination by a urologist. By the way, pregnant women suffering from trichomoniasis, as well as those who are planning to terminate their pregnancy, are subject to mandatory examination.

Personal prevention of gonorrhea involves avoiding casual sex and mandatory use of a condom . If accidental sexual contact occurs, it is recommended to contact a venereal disease clinic or a personal prevention center operating there as soon as possible to implement the necessary measures to avoid the development of the disease.

What to use?

Treatment of chronic gonorrhea is most often practiced with antimicrobial drugs from the cephalosporin category. Previously, penicillins were used, but gonococci developed resistance to this type of medicine. Other options are aminoglycosides, macrolides, tetracyclines. As a rule, they are resorted to if cephalosporins do not show a pronounced effect.

When gonorrhea is detected, it is necessary to undergo a full diagnosis to detect other infectious diseases. As a rule, a person suffers from trichomoniasis and chlamydia at the same time as gonorrhea, which forces the use of a combined regimen to simultaneously get rid of all problems.

In the process of treating gonorrhea in men and women, strict adherence to the rules of daily personal hygiene is necessary. Only personal washcloths, towels, and dishes should be used. Compliance with hygiene rules and doctor’s recommendations will allow you to quickly get rid of the disease and minimize the risk of complications, including infertility.

Hygiene for gonorrhea

If the disease has been detected in one of the close ones or relatives, then in addition to the obligatory visit to the doctor, the patient and his close people are recommended to begin observing the rules of hygiene. They suggest:

1. Shower regularly, at least once a day. Be sure to use disinfectant soap.
2. Daily change of bed linen during treatment of acute gonorrhea. Otherwise, gonococci will remain on the bed linen and re-enter the body.
3. Separation of personal hygiene items. Each family member should use their own soap, towel, toothbrush, etc.

What else should I try?

Sometimes the treatment of gonorrhea in men and women is practiced with the help of fluoroquinolones. The drugs Suprax and Ceforal Solutab have proven themselves well. Sometimes the doctor recommends stopping at Cemidexor or Pancef. The listed drugs are based on cefixime. At the initial stage, one capsule containing 400 mg of active substance is enough.

Sometimes it is recommended to choose drugs based on ciprofloxacin: “Tsiprolet” or “Cifran”. “Tsiprinol” and “Ekotsifol” have a good reputation. The very first medicine that appeared on this component is called “Tsiprobay”. To cure gonorrhea, a one-time use of half a gram of the substance orally is enough.

Ofloxacin-based drugs are used to treat gonorrhea in women. They are also popular in the treatment of male patients. Pharmacy names – “Zoflox”, “Tarivid”. At the initial stage of the disease, 400 mg of the active component is prescribed once.

Is it possible to have sex while treating gonorrhea?

In most cases, gonorrhea is transmitted sexually, but despite this, patients have doubts about intimacy during treatment. Men have the most complaints with doctors, since abstinence can last for one or several months.

Even with gonorrhea at the initial stage, sexual intercourse is prohibited. Doctors always warn patients that in addition to infecting a healthy person, the patient’s condition also worsens.

If there are obvious or nonspecific symptoms, even a condom will not save your sexual partner from becoming infected.
On the 4-5th day of therapy, the symptoms disappear and the patient decides not to take any further medication and begin to be sexually active again. However, the absence of signs of gonorrhea does not mean that there are no gonococci left in the body. In addition, a person remains contagious even with continued drug treatment. During sex, the integrity of the mucous membrane of the genitourinary tract is disrupted, which provokes an exacerbation of the disease. Even if you ignore the fact that you will infect a healthy person, sexual contact during treatment for gonorrhea is highly undesirable. This will lead to a relapse and after stopping the antibiotics you will have to undergo therapy again, only with stronger drugs.

Protection in the form of a contraceptive will not prevent the occurrence of microtraumas. Because of this, during intimacy, aching pain will be felt, especially in women, which means the process will not bring pleasure.

Tetracyclines against sexually transmitted infections

As a rule, the use of tetracyclines is practiced in cases of combined infection, when it is necessary to simultaneously eliminate chlamydia and prescribe effective treatment for gonorrhea for women and men. The drugs available in the pharmacy that are effective for this diagnosis are derivatives of azithromycin and doxycycline.

The following formulations are based on doxycycline: Doxal, Unidox, Apo-Doxy. At the initial stage of the disease, it is enough to use twice 100 mg of the drug for seven days in a row.

The drugs “Sumamed” and “Azitral” were made based on azithromycin for the treatment of chronic gonorrhea. The names “Zi-factor” and “Zitrolide” have a good reputation. At the initial stage, they are used only once, the dosage is gram.

These options are suitable if gonorrhea occurs without complications. When associated, in some cases chronic, it is necessary to simultaneously combine different antibiotics. Your doctor may recommend additional methods to boost your immune status, as well as non-drug treatments. Instillations and physiotherapy will be beneficial.

If other areas of the body are infected

If you suspect that you have a disease such as gonorrhea, preventive measures taken after the onset of characteristic symptoms will no longer be useless. Although the infection is most often found in the genital tract, it can also affect:

• Rectum. In this case, signs of infection include itching in the anus, purulent discharge from the rectum, stains of bright red blood on toilet paper and sudden difficulty in bowel movements (the need to strain and push, constipation, other functional disorders).
• Eyes. If gonorrhea affects the eyes, there may be pain, increased sensitivity to light, and purulent discharge from one or both eyes.
• Throat. Symptoms of the pathology include a sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.
• Ligaments. If one or more ligaments become infected with bacteria (septic or infectious arthritis), the affected areas may become warm, red, swollen, and extremely painful, especially with movement.

Homemade recipes against gonorrhea

Home treatment for gonorrhea is recommended to be coordinated with your doctor and used only as an auxiliary approach to recovery. Traditional medicine alone is not an effective method of getting rid of infection. Most often, healers recommend using burdock for gonorrhea. A decoction is made from the rhizome of the plant. For three large spoons of pre-crushed rhizome, you need to take three glasses of water and boil the mixture in a water bath. The roots can be used dried or fresh. Boil the liquid for half an hour or more over low heat, covered. As it cools, the water is drained and used for food. Dosage – a couple of large spoons. The decoction is prepared anew every day. During the day you need to gradually drink all three glasses. The duration of the course is from a week to two.

Treatment of gonorrhea at home with herbal preparations is practiced. Juniper fruits, birch leaves, and dandelion rhizomes are crushed and mixed in equal proportions. For three large spoons of the mixture, you need to boil a glass of water, pour in the herbs and let it brew for half an hour, after which the liquid is drained. The infusion is intended for consumption three times daily, a teaspoon a quarter of an hour before meals.

You can treat gonorrhea in women and men at home with a mixture of licorice rhizomes, corn silk, bearberry leaves, and birch leaves. All products are taken in equal quantities. A quarter liter of water is boiled in a couple of teaspoons, the mixture is cooked in a water bath for a quarter of an hour, then allowed to cool. When the liquid becomes cool, strain it and add boiling water without additives to 250 ml. The entire volume received must be drunk gradually throughout the day.

Working with newborns to prevent gonorrhea

Methods for the prevention of gonorrhea and blenorrhea affect not only the adult population, but also young children. The fact is that children very often become infected with gonorrhea from their own mother. If she was not treated or the infection was not diagnosed. This happens during childbirth, when the baby passes through the birth canal. At this time, the child is no longer protected by the placenta with its powerful transplacental barrier. What makes infection possible?

First of all, gonococcus in infants settles in the eyes. A form of the disease called blenorrhea develops. The pathology is quite dangerous. If it is not treated promptly, the child may partially or completely lose vision without the possibility of recovery.

In rare cases, in girls, in addition to blenorrhea, the vaginal area is affected, but such an outcome should not be ruled out either. The basis for the prevention of blenorrhea in newborns is competent work with women during pregnancy. The doctor should conduct preventive conversations, explaining to the pregnant woman why the infection is dangerous. Why is it necessary to undergo tests on a regular basis to identify it? If a pregnant woman who is definitely sick with gonorrhea is under observation, she is recommended to start taking antibacterial agents.

It is important to remember that during pregnancy, antibiotics used will not destroy the pathogen 100%. But they will significantly reduce its activity. Thanks to this, it will be possible to reduce the risk of contracting gonorrhea to the baby. If a child was born from a sick mother, then even in the absence of signs of blenorrhea, it is recommended for him to instill sodium sulfacyl into the eyes for preventive purposes. The drug has pronounced activity against gonococci. 2 drops of the drug are dripped into each conjunctival sac immediately after the birth of the child. After two hours, the procedure is repeated. With a high degree of probability, this simple event will protect the baby from blenorrhea. Even if a woman has active gonorrhea.

What else should I try?

Healers recommend that men use ginseng for gonorrhea. A tincture of this plant can be purchased at any pharmacy. The drug is indicated for use in the morning, before breakfast. Dosage – no more than four drops.

But for women, dill is believed to help. The plant is used to prepare a decoction for douching. For six fresh branches, you need to boil two glasses and pour them over the plant, then cook the mixture in a water bath for 10 minutes. The liquid is allowed to cool to human body temperature, filtered and drawn into a syringe without a needle, then gently injected into the vagina. The procedure must be carried out in the bathroom or over a basin. Douching is indicated immediately after hygiene procedures in the morning and evening.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment for medical advice if you experience one or more of the above symptoms of infection. Even if the symptoms of the disease have another cause, gonorrhea is widespread in the modern world - preventive measures recommended by a qualified doctor will help you gain peace of mind.

Contact a specialist if your partner is diagnosed with an infectious disease. Since gonorrhea can be asymptomatic, you should get checked by a doctor even if there is no suspicion of infection. Lack of adequate treatment due to asymptomatic disease will lead to reinfection of your partner.

Strengthening the immune system is the key to quick recovery

In order for antibiotics and antiseptic drugs to show maximum results with the least negative consequences, it is necessary to maintain immunity. Recipes for home treatment are a fairly reliable and effective method of maintaining the body’s strength. People with reduced immunity often drink tea with lemongrass. Boil a glass of water for half a teaspoon, let it brew and drink it instead of regular tea as often as you want. You can sweeten the drink with honey.

Another option is to mix a third of a kilogram of nuts and 100 g of garlic, chop the products, simmer for a quarter of an hour in a water bath, then let cool. The mixture is supplemented with a kilogram of honey and a couple of tablespoons of crushed dill seeds. The drug is used for two weeks in a row, eating a tablespoon three times daily. It is believed that such a mixture not only improves immune status, but also fights inflammation and disinfects body tissues.

Common Patient Questions

Many patients are interested not only in the routes of infection, but also in the likelihood of becoming infected, for example, through a kiss or when visiting public places. Experts answer these questions this way: the causative agent of gonorrhea, gonococcus, has the ability to firmly attach to the surface of the epithelium, which covers all mucous membranes. Therefore, you can catch the pathogen by any means of sexual intercourse:

• Traditional - in this case, the epithelial layer of the external genitalia is damaged;
• Oral – affects the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, throat, and respiratory tract;
• Anal – the anus is affected.

Moreover, if a man has infected a woman, the sign of the development of the disease will not be very pronounced, but in a man the symptoms are more pronounced. After the pathogen is introduced into the body, the submucosal layer is damaged, the epithelial structures are damaged, and toxic substances are released. In this process, a certain part of the structures is destroyed, and abscesses begin to occur in the membranes, and a purulent inflammatory process develops.

Another frequently asked question is how long it will take for the first symptoms of the disease to appear. The general incubation period lasts up to two weeks. In most situations, signs of gonorrhea appear already five days after infection. Being aware of this, it is possible to establish the approximate source of introduction of the pathogen into the patient’s body, how much time has passed since the onset of the development of the disease.

Another common question is the likelihood of infection from a single contact. According to experts, the risk of infection is directly determined by gender. Pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted from woman to man in 25% of cases after one unprotected sexual intercourse. And a woman becomes infected in approximately 50% of cases with a single unprotected contact. So, it is possible to catch the pathogen during a single intercourse, but not in all cases.

And another popular question is the route of transmission through household methods. Many experts have different opinions on this matter. The causative agent of gonorrhea is not stable in the external environment. Their rapid death is noted in water, during rapid drying, when exposed to cosmetic personal hygiene items - soap, antiseptics, high temperatures also have a negative effect on bacteria. Infection through domestic means is not as common as through sexual intercourse.

Natural diuretics

Treatment at home for gonorrhea involves the use of diuretics to quickly cleanse the genitourinary system of pathogenic microflora. Boil half a liter of water for a couple of tablespoons of parsley, previously crushed in a mortar, pour the liquid over the product and leave for an hour. Then the drink is drained and gradually drunk in small portions throughout the day.

You can try hernia as a natural diuretic. Take half a glass of boiling water for a teaspoon of dried crushed product, let it brew for 30 minutes, then strain off the liquid. The drug is intended for use up to 4 times a day, one tablespoon at a time.

Method of infection from mother

During natural labor, there is a danger of transmission of gonococcal bacilli from mother to child during passage through the birth canal. In this case, the disease affects the mucous membranes of the eyes; in girls, the external mucous membranes of the labia may be affected. Infection cannot be ruled out during the period after childbirth, for example, due to poor personal hygiene, through kissing.

If the expectant mother becomes infected during pregnancy, there is a high risk of transmission of the infection to the membranes of the fetus, and this is fraught with premature labor. If gonorrhea was present in a woman’s body before conceiving and carrying a baby, a miscarriage is often observed in the early stages of pregnancy.

Chronic form: treatment features

In chronic cases, according to WHO recommendations, gonorrhea should be treated with ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefixime or spectinomycin. Currently, strains of pathological microflora have appeared that tend to produce penicillinase. Penicillin antibiotics are powerless against them, but in other cases of gonorrhea pathogens they can be used. Semi-synthetic drugs of the isoxazoline group are considered the most effective. They are not affected by gastric juice or penicillinase, due to which such therapy shows good results. With good tolerability and an affordable price, the effectiveness is expressed even if the strains form penicillinase. Long-acting penicillin antibiotics have also proven themselves well. Sometimes bicillin-3 is injected. Dosage – 1.2 million units. four days in a row. Frequency – one procedure per day.

As penicillin-producing strains become more common, cephalosporins have received particular attention from doctors. These are bactericidal drugs that are effective against typical and atypical pathogens. Cefoperazone shows the desired result in 100% of cases during infection without complications; when using cephalothin, the cure rate is estimated at an average of 92%. Currently, cephalosporins are becoming less effective and also reduce the susceptibility of the pathogen to other drugs.

Features of infection by gender

Depending on gender, there are some characteristics of infection. Their differences come from the physiological differences in the structure of men and women.

In men

Men are much less likely to become infected than women. The main route of infection remains sexual contact with a carrier partner.

Many men carry out a kind of infection prevention. To do this, immediately after sexual intercourse, they empty their bladder. Experts strongly doubt the reliability of this method.

Men are especially susceptible to infection in the following cases:

1. During your partner's menstruation period. This is due to the greater activity of gonococcal bacteria at this time, as well as for 2-3 days after it.
2. Prolonged sexual intercourse. The longer sexual intercourse lasts, the higher the likelihood of pathogenic microflora entering the urethral canal.
3. A woman has a strong orgasm. In this case, the biological fluid containing gonococci is released into the lower parts of the reproductive system and can enter the male genitals.

In 60% of women, gonorrhea is asymptomatic, so she may not be aware of her disease. Therefore, if a man is found to have pathological bacteria, he should notify his partner (or partners) with whom he had sexual contact in the last 1-2 months.

Among women

In women, infection occurs in almost 100% of cases through unprotected contact with a sick partner. This is due to physiological and other characteristics.

1. The urethral opening is wider and shorter, which facilitates rapid penetration and spread of infection.
2. Increased risk of injury during sexual intercourse. In the presence of microcracks, gonococci settle in the wound sites and multiply there in large numbers.
3. Accompanying illnesses. If a woman has certain diseases, they can contribute to the development of gonococci. These include vaginosis.

A woman becomes infected with gonorrhea in almost 100% of cases through unprotected contact

Other options for chronicling

To treat gonorrhea, you can use different types of tetracycline drugs. Statistics show that a positive treatment result is observed in 99% of cases. The best effect is produced by long-acting synthetic oxytetracycline.

Macrolides, primarily erythromycin, are used quite often for gonorrhea. They are also popular due to the possibility of taking them during pregnancy. True, erythromycin breaks down in an acidic gastric environment and shows a negative effect on the circulatory system, so scientists are actively working on developing more advanced composition options. Azithromycin was made from erythromycin, the effectiveness of which was estimated on average at 95%.

Recently, for chronic gonorrhea, uroantiseptics made with nalidixic acid have been increasingly used. Quinolones, which have a systemic effect, are dangerous for a wide range of microflora. By passive diffusion they penetrate into the cell membrane and inhibit DNA gyrase. Lomefloxacin is considered the most effective.

Gonorrhea: ways of contracting the disease

Infection with gonorrhea is not uncommon today. Many patients, hearing about this disease, wonder how they can catch this dangerous venereal disease.

Infection with gonorrhea is possible in several ways.

• Sexual tract

The sexual route is considered the most common. According to various estimates by doctors, it accounts for about 95% of all cases of infection.

The bacterium enters the body during unprotected sexual intercourse with a condom. Infection with gonorrhea is most often possible during classic vaginal sex without barrier contraception. But this is not the only way to spread the infection. Pathogens can enter the body of a healthy person from a sick person and through other forms of sexual contact. It is possible that you can become infected with gonorrhea through oral sex or anal intercourse.

• Contact and household path

Household infection with gonorrhea in medical practice is quite rare. The transmission of bacteria occurs through the use of shared towels, washcloths and other hygiene products. Which normally should be strictly individual.

• Vertical path

One of the ways of contracting gonorrhea is the vertical spread of infection. In this case, the disease passes from mother to child. Gonococcus is not able to penetrate the transplacental barrier. Therefore, it enters the child’s body at the time of birth, when the baby passes through the birth canal.

Course Features

The most popular are shortened therapeutic regimens, but they are associated with certain disadvantages. In particular, the risk of allergies and complications after treatment is high. Not all patients tolerate antibiotics intended for oral use satisfactorily, since the dosage is quite high. Most medications are not approved for use in the treatment of pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents - that is, an impressive percentage of all patients with gonorrhea.

Recently, the cooperative method for assessing the effectiveness of medications has not been practiced and there are no generally accepted instructions for choosing a therapeutic course. This leads to an arbitrary selection of various drugs at the discretion of the doctor. Sometimes treatment fails, which leads to negative consequences, the likelihood of developing persistent forms of the pathogen increases, and the disease spreads further.

Questions for the doctor

Since the consultation is carried out strictly within the allotted time and is often not long enough, prepare in advance the questions you plan to ask the therapist. It is advisable to rank them from most important to least important. If the main topic of your visit is treatment and prevention of gonorrhea, questions may include the following:

• Is gonorrhea causing the symptoms I am experiencing?
• What tests do I need to undergo?
• Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted infections?
• Should my partner also be tested for gonorrhea?
• How long should I wait before resuming sexual activity?
• How to prevent this disease in the future?
• What complications of infection should I be wary of?
• I am pregnant. How is gonorrhea prevented in newborns?
• Is there an alternative to the medication you are prescribed?
• Can I view thematic printed materials? Or would you recommend specific internet sites?
• How do I determine if I need to come back for an appointment after finishing therapy?

Of course, you can supplement this approximate list with any other questions that concern you. And even more so, do not be embarrassed to ask the doctor what you found incomprehensible in his explanations.

Treatment: general rules

Treatment for gonorrhea (chronic and acute) will only be effective if both regular sexual partners are treated, even if one of them has no symptoms of infection. Typically, two different antimicrobial drugs are prescribed; During therapy, sexual activity is completely excluded. Even if symptoms completely disappear, the patient must strictly follow medical instructions and take medications in the prescribed doses. Two weeks after the course, it is necessary to take tests to determine the presence of the pathogen in the body. To prevent relapse, tests are repeated after another two weeks.

If both measures show the absence of pathological microflora, the person is considered cured.

Diagnosis of gonorrhea

The doctor diagnoses gonorrhea based on familiarization with the patient’s complaints, examination and palpation of the genital organs, the results of a general smear of the vagina , urethra, discharge from the eyes, examination of the anus, and urine test . The patient's sexual activity, recent sexual intercourse, the appearance of discharge from the urethra, and whether he has previously suffered from sexually transmitted diseases are determined.

If the patient has not used disinfectants, a bacterioscopic analysis . In the early stages of the disease, i.e. for “fresh” gonorrhea, the method of direct immunofluorescence , allowing additional identification of other possible sexually transmitted diseases . chlamydia , AIDS , and syphilis are also carried out . In the case of chronic gonorrhea, a more accurate study is prescribed - PCR , polymerase chain reaction or culture.

How else can you become infected with gonorrhea through household means?

The thing is that a sick person can pose a danger even to himself.

Autoinfection is another method of infection through household means. For example, a man or woman was initially diagnosed with urogenital gonorrhea. And after some time, signs of stomatitis or conjunctivitis appeared.

Factors contributing to self-infection:

• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules
• neglect of the attending physician's requirements
• indifference to one's own health

If a patient has several forms of the disease at the same time, then he becomes the most dangerous to others. There are several routes of transmission of pathogens:

• Using personal belongings of a sick person. Infection can occur if you share towels, shaving utensils, washcloths, or bedding with an infected person. If there is a patient in the family, it is necessary to ensure that he has personal linen, a towel and personal hygiene items, but even soap, which should not be near toothbrushes.
• When wearing someone else's clothes, especially underwear.
• When using one toilet. Women are especially at risk in this regard.
• You can also become infected with gonorrhea through a shared bath.
• The disease can also be transmitted by sharing the same utensils with a sick person. In this case, the infection affects the nasopharynx, and the disease occurs in the form of a sore throat.
• After swimming in a pond with stagnant water, an infectious disease may develop. In rare cases, bodies of water with running water may pose a danger to swimming in them.
• In people with weakened immune systems, infection through kissing is possible. In this case, symptoms of nasopharyngitis develop.

Can a woman become infected in a swimming pool, bathhouse or sauna? This question worries those who prefer this type of wellness procedures.

When visiting public places, it is possible that they were previously used by someone with gonorrhea. If there is an infected person among those present, there is a high risk of infection of all those present.

Is gonorrhea transmitted through household contact?

There are not many cases of transmission of gonorrhea in everyday life, but its possibility has been proven. Factors of infection in this case include the patient’s personal hygiene items, especially those that remain damp after use. The fact is that gonococcus quickly dies on dry surfaces, but lives in moisture for several more hours.

Thus, towels, washcloths and toilet seats used by the patient become dangerous for family members. And if the gonorrhea is localized in the mouth or throat, you should carefully handle and store dishes and toothbrush separately.

Children and elderly people whose immune systems are severely weakened are especially susceptible to household infection with gonorrhea. To become infected with gonorrhea in everyday life, a healthy adult needs a very large amount of the pathogen, so this method of transmission is unlikely for him. Whereas a small child or an old person needs a much smaller “dose” of gonococcus.

Complications after treatment for gonorrhea

If gonorrhea is left untreated, symptoms progress rapidly and cause serious harm to the body. An incorrectly selected treatment regimen or lack of medical care will provoke:

• damage to the foreskin and glans penis;
• inflammation of the urethra and its ducts;
• dysfunction of the prostate gland;
• pathological changes in the Cooper glands;
• inflammation of the vas deferens;
• damage to the testicles or testicles;
• narrowing of the urethra.

If there are complications, standard treatment will not give the desired result, so antibiotics are taken for up to 30 days and several drugs are used in combination. Injections are prescribed and the dosage of medications is changed. Medicines enter the body of a patient with gonorrhea every 10 hours.

In case of complications, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting, since the patient’s condition must be constantly monitored. You should not refuse hospital observation; a complicated form of gonorrhea can be fatal. In addition to medications, local medications, physiotherapy and immunotherapy are used.

Only a doctor can determine an effective course of treatment and select medications. Independent measures are unacceptable.

Diagnostics

Despite the rather acute symptoms of gonorrhea, it can only be confirmed using laboratory methods after visiting a specialist. Screening for gonorrhea includes the following items:

• Medical examination. After collecting anamnesis and clarifying complaints, the doctor conducts an examination. During a bimanual and specular examination, a gynecologist will determine the inflammatory process in a woman: hyperemia of the vaginal mucosa, swelling in the area of ​​the urethral orifice, cervicitis, copious purulent discharge. In men, the venereologist will detect signs of urethritis and purulent discharge.

• Laboratory diagnostics.

To confirm gonorrhea by laboratory methods, the following methods are used:

1. Analysis of discharge taken from the urethra - smear for gonorrhea.
2. Sowing of secretions from the cervical canal, pharynx, urethra, rectum, vagina. This analysis is the most accurate and takes about 7 days. It is most often prescribed for suspected gonorrhea in women.
3. Polymerase chain reaction. This is a DNA diagnostic that allows you to detect the pathogen within 1-2 days with 95% confidence.

Important: a smear for gonococcus can detect the disease in only 60% of women with gonorrhea and in 90% of men. In this case, the most informative method is culture of secretions or the PCR method.

Other ways of transmitting gonorrhea

Considering the instability of gonococcus in the external environment and its favorite habitats, the answer to the question of how one can become infected with gonorrhea is obvious. 99% of the routes of transmission of gonorrhea are sexual. Can you get gonorrhea without having vaginal sex? Of course yes.

How else can gonococcus be transmitted:

1. For most patients, admitting the fact of sexual transmission is, to put it mildly, uncomfortable, although it is the main one. Some, realizing that they have contracted gonorrhea, seek advice from friends or buy antibiotics at the pharmacy on their own. This is a dangerous path. Having suppressed the symptoms, he transfers the disease to the chronic stage, threatening exacerbation and complications, especially infertility.
2. Others try to explain gonorrhea through domestic infection. Baths, saunas and swimming pools especially often come under suspicion. How credible can such explanations be? Of course, if a person is completely untrained in hygiene skills, he can sit on a bench where a sick person had just sat and his discharge remains on it; if he shares a washcloth or towel with a sick person, wiping his private parts, he will have to accept this version.
3. Mothers may be responsible for infecting their newborn babies during childbirth if vaginal smears were not examined before birth.
4. The intrauterine route of transmission of infection to the fetus is controversial.

And yet how realistic is the everyday path? Real. A girl sleeps with her sick mother in the same bed. Mom uses her own towel and washcloth for her daughter immediately after personal use. There is a long-standing case of mass infection of children in a kindergarten by a nanny who wiped the children’s faces with a hollow apron after wiping her genitals with the apron after urinating. The result is an epidemic of rhinitis.

Most infections are characterized by the development of immune complexes against the disease. Having had measles once, for example, a person will never get it again. Gonorrhea is not like that. You can become infected with gonorrhea more than once. There is no immunity to this infection.

The bacteria that provoke the development of gonorrhea “prefer” to be transmitted through sexual contact between the person who is the source of the disease and his still healthy sexual partner. Under such conditions, the main risk group is mainly people who choose rather risky sexual relationships. In particular, gonorrhea can be discovered:

• sexually active men and women engaged in sexual experiments, often changing sexual partners, entering into relationships with people they know little or not at all;
• male representatives traveling to other cities and countries on business or for personal purposes, coming into contact with local representatives of the “most ancient profession”;
• people who have sexual relations with several partners, but do not use condoms (the same list includes “priestesses of love” with all their clients);
• participants in regular sexual relationships in which one partner also has sex with other people without using contraception;
• drug addicts whose sexual relations are promiscuous because they have no control over their own lives.

Every person leading an active intimate life must remember: to prevent gonorrhea from being transmitted, you should not take risks in choosing sexual partners or experimenting with sexual relations. The disease can be avoided if you exclude casual relationships and do not neglect protective measures - gonococci (as well as pathogens of other sexually transmitted infections) do not pass through a condom, so the risk of getting sick is minimal.

Sexual transmission of infection is the main route.
Despite the availability of many contraceptives, sexual intercourse is the leading way of spreading gonorrhea. In terms of the risk of infection, unprotected vaginal and anal coitus ranks first, and oral sex is firmly in second place on this list.

You can become infected with gonorrhea not only during traditional sex, but also during ordinary intimate caresses, if the partners’ genitals come into contact with each other, but the penis is not inserted into the vagina.

Women almost always become infected, and men most often in cases where they engage in lovemaking during their partner's menstruation, if she has asymptomatic gonorrhea, during prolonged sexual intercourse, or if the infection gets into the man's urethra.

In fact, the methods of transmission of gonorrhea are not so diverse. The infection can spread only in the following cases:

1. At the moment of natural childbirth. Transmission of the pathogenic agent occurs when a newborn passes through the genital tract of an infected mother. The greatest likelihood of infection is observed in girls, which is also due to the characteristics of the body. Moreover, the disease in children, as a rule, manifests itself not only on the genitals; focal lesions can also be observed on the mucous membrane of the eyes, which very often becomes the cause of the development of gonococcal conjunctivitis.

2. When having sexual intercourse with a person who is unaware of the disease. If gonorrhea occurs in a latent form, no clinical manifestations will be observed, the same applies to the chronic course of the disease. Only during the period of exacerbation is the pathological process accompanied by severe symptoms. Therefore, casual sexual intercourse without the use of contraception carries the greatest danger in terms of the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

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As noted earlier, the main route of transmission of gonococcus is sexual.

Local treatment of gonorrhea in women

In female patients, urethral lavage is also performed. This is done twice a week.

For chronic urethritis, urethral massage can be performed followed by lubrication with ichthyol or 1% Lugol.

For paraurethritis, sitz baths are prescribed. The paraurethral ducts are cauterized.

For vulvovaginitis, sitz baths are prescribed. For them, use potassium permanganate or chamomile. The vulva and vagina are also lubricated with 10% protargol in glycerin.

In the case of bartholinitis, a pseudoabscess may form. This is a phenomenon in which the ducts of the gland are blocked.

As a result, the secretion cannot come out and accumulates inside.

An incision is made and the cavity is cleaned. It is tamponed with turunda and streptocide. The wound is lubricated with iodine solution. In case of chronic course, gonovaccine is administered under the excretory duct of the gland.

Infection through sexual contact

Infection with gonorrhea occurs through sexual contact without the use of protection. At the same time, the form of sex is not at all important; it can be either traditional contact or with incomplete penetration, or oral sex, peting.

However, the spread of infection has some peculiarities. So, for example, women are most susceptible to this disease, which is explained by the structure of the genital organs. The mucous membrane lining the walls of the vagina has a folded structure, so pathogenic bacteria easily settle on its surface.

As for men, in this case the penetration of infection into the narrow opening of the urethra is very difficult, therefore, even with intimate intimacy with a woman suffering from this disease, the chances of infection are not great.

Also, a predisposing factor to the development of the disease in men can be unprotected sexual contact during the partner’s menstruation. The source of infection is quite often localized in the uterus, and therefore a high concentration of bacteria will be observed in the menstrual fluid.

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Gonococcus may not manifest itself for a long time, so women are often unaware of its presence, which also contributes to the further spread of the infectious agent. In men, when infected, symptomatic manifestations of the disease appear quite quickly, which allows one to immediately suspect pathology and reduce the number of sexual contacts.

The main route of infection is unprotected sexual contact. It is important to note that infection can occur through sex in any form. Full penetration is not necessary; transmission can also occur during petting.

Women become infected much faster than men. This fact is due to the peculiarity of the structure of the genital organs. Microorganisms penetrate the cervix very quickly due to the folded structure of the vagina. Moreover, even full douching after sexual intercourse does not remove all gonococci.

Treatment methods

How and how to treat gonorrhea in men and women, what medications to use, only a venereologist knows after examining tests and determining the sensitivity of gonococci to prescribed antibiotic therapy. Patients are admitted to a hospital, since self-medication with this type of sexually transmitted infection is unacceptable, it will only bring harm.

Antibiotics in complex therapy

The treatment regimen includes drugs in tablets or injections

The form and stage of the pathology requires the development of individual treatment regimens using injections and tablets. If the disease is uncomplicated and acute, then tablets are prescribed. But intramuscular administration of drugs eliminates gonococci faster and does not lead to a large number of side effects.

Table 1: Tablets for antibiotic therapy:

Table 2: Injectables:

In parallel with tablets and injections, treatment is carried out with antiseptic solutions, suppositories and ointments. When answering a frequent question about how to treat gonorrhea in men, there is no need to look for any special “male” remedies.

Local therapy is added to antibiotics according to the following scheme:

• wash the urethra with antiseptics: 0.05% aqueous solution of silver nitrate or 0.02% solution of potassium permanganate;
• with concomitant urethritis and the presence of a mild infiltrate, wash the urethra with a 0.25-0.5% solution of silver nitrate, add protargol (2% solution) or collargol (1% solution);
• if the skin is infected, take baths adding a 0.01% solution of potassium permanganate or a 0.02% solution of furatsilin to warm water.

Before treating gonorrhea in women with antibiotics, it is necessary to do tests for them, taking into account individual contraindications. In addition, they disrupt the normal microflora of the vagina. And this is fraught with fungal and bacterial vaginitis. Therefore, probiotics and antifungal agents are included in therapy.

Therapy is carried out:

• vaginal suppositories with lactobacilli: Acylact, Lactonorm, Lactobacterin, Ecofemin, 1 suppository at night for a course of 10 days;
• antifungal vaginal suppositories: Clotrimazole (Candide, Kanison, Candibene) – 200 mg at night – 10 days;
• topical antiseptics: suppositories, ointments or creams as prescribed by a doctor;
• in acute stages of inflammation - warm sitz baths, adding a 0.01% solution of potassium permanganate or chamomile infusion (keep under a fur coat in 2 tbsp. boiling water - 1 tbsp. flowers). Apply 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes. In subacute stages, the external genitalia are lubricated with Protargol in glycerin (10% solution);
• in acute stages of urethritis, instillations are performed and the canal is deeply washed with Protargol (1-2% solution) or Collargol. In subacute stages - treated with instillations of Protargol (3-5% solution);
• if vaginitis is present, Betadine or Hexicon suppositories are inserted into the vagina.

Important. For menstrual bleeding, suppositories are not used. The course of treatment begins on the 2nd day after the end of menstruation.

Container for holding sitz baths on the toilet

For concomitant chlamydia, treatment is carried out with Doxycycline for 7 days - 100 mg tablets twice a day. For trichomoniasis - Metronidazole: 2.0 g once or 500 mg for 5-7 days, 2-3 doses per day. For Candidiasis - vaginal suppositories or tablets of 100-200 mg for a course of 3-10 days.

Other treatment regimens

Individual treatment regimens can consist of sodium and potassium salts of Benzylpenicillin or Ecmonovocillin, Tetracycline and Bicillin. And also Ampicillin, Chlortetracycline hydrochloride, Levomycitin, Monomycin, Procainpenicillin-g-3-meta.

Bacteria and microbes, gonococci are eliminated during therapy with Bassado, Doxilan, Doxal, Zinacef, Zinpad, Ketocef, Lendatsin, Miramistin, Modevid, Rifogor, Rimafor and others. Macrolides – Oletethrin and Erythromycin, sulfonamides – Sulfadimethoxine and Sulfamonomethoxine.

Table 3: Local methods of therapy:

Physiotherapy for the treatment of gonorrhea

Electrophoresis for gonococcal inflammation of the appendages

Chronic course of the disease and complications are carried out:

1. Paraffin therapy. The paraffin is melted to a temperature of 44-48°C and applications/compresses with a paraffin layer thickness of 2-3 cm are applied to the pubic area on gauze napkins in several layers (8-10), covered with wax paper and cotton wool on top. Leave for up to 25 minutes, perform daily. Course – 15-20 procedures.
2. Ozocerite therapy. Gonorrheal epididymitis, chronic prostatitis and inflammatory processes in the upper genital organs are treated by applying ozokerite (mountain wax) cakes, after lubricating the skin with Vaseline. A gauze pad soaked in liquid ozokerite is applied daily or every other day. Course – 15-20 procedures.
3. Mud therapy: applications, tampons and baths. Carry out every other day or every 2 days, the 3rd day is a break. Mud temperature is 40-46°C. Course – 15-18 procedures.
4. Diathermy. High-frequency current and small electrodes are used to heat deep-lying tissues. The procedure accelerates tissue regeneration, blood flow, lymphatic drainage, and resolves infiltrates and effusion. Spend 15-30 minutes daily at a current strength of 0.5-0.7A. Course – 10 days.
5. Inductothermy using a high frequency alternating electromagnetic field. The procedures are carried out daily for 30-40 minutes, with a course of 15-20 sessions.
6. Electrophoresis. Medicines: potassium iodide or calcium chloride is administered under direct current for 15-30 minutes daily or every other day. Course – 10-15 sessions.
7. UHF therapy. It has a hypotensive, bactericidal, bacteriostatic, absorbable and anti-inflammatory effect:

• UHF on the epididymis is carried out for 15 minutes daily, the course is 6-10 sessions;
• in the prostate area, UHF lasts 15 minutes, the course is 6-10 daily sessions;
• on the area of ​​the genitourinary organs in women, UHF is carried out for up to half an hour, the course is 10-15 procedures.

Mud therapy for inflammation of the genitourinary organs

The video in this article provides information about the treatment of gonorrhea with traditional methods and talks about taking smears from the urethra for microflora.

Features of gonococcus

The causative agent of gonorrhea is gonococcus (lat. Neisseria gonorrhoeae);
the source of infection is a sick person. The pathogen is transmitted primarily through sexual contact, since in the external environment it quickly dies even under normal conditions. It is extremely rare to observe a household route of transmission through household items (a common towel for intimate hygiene in women); the pathogen can be transmitted to a child during childbirth. Gonococci infect mucous membranes, located on the surface of epithelial cells or penetrating intracellularly.

The ability of gonococcus to form so-called intracellular L-forms, which are insensitive to antibiotics, explains the difficulty of treating this infection and the high frequency of relapses. Gonorrhea affects not only the genitals, but also the anorectal region, the conjunctiva of the eyes (blennorrhea), and the pharyngeal mucosa (gonococcal pharyngitis).

Gonorrhea, commonly referred to as gonorrhea, begins to develop under the influence of gonococci that penetrate the human body. These microorganisms are pathogenic; they rapidly spread throughout the entire genitourinary system and cause negative health consequences.

It is known that the most common route of infection with gonorrhea is sexual contact.

To understand how gonorrhea is transmitted, you need to know some of the features of this microbe. Favorite Habitat:

• Columnar epithelium of the genitourinary tract (urethra, cervical canal).
• Anal area and rectum.
• Vulva in girls and older patients.

Neiser's gonococcus prefers to exist intracellularly and can be found inside Trichomonas. Thanks to growths on the surface (pili), it clings to cells, penetrating both inside and through intercellular channels, causing inflammation of the uterus, appendages, and pelvic peritoneum.

Gonococcus affects the mucous membrane of the eye, causing conjunctivitis and iridocyclitis. There is damage to the pharynx and tonsils. Gonorrheal endocarditis, meningitis, and lesions of the knee joints are rarely observed.

In the external environment, gonococcus is unstable. It dies when dried, in a soapy environment, when heated above 56 degrees, under the influence of direct sunlight.

How to treat gonorrhea correctly

After contacting your doctor, he will offer you a tablet or injection course of antibacterial therapy. Your sexual partner should also receive a course of antibiotics at the same time as you to prevent re-infection and spread of the disease. It is important to continue taking antibiotics even after you feel better and symptoms disappear. It is necessary to abstain from any sexual contact during treatment. Failure to follow these simple rules greatly reduces the effectiveness of treatment and contributes to the occurrence of complications and chronic forms of the disease.

Stability of the gonorrhea pathogen in the external environment

The bacterium is one of the fastidious microorganisms.

It requires special cultivation conditions.

Otherwise, the gonococcus dies.

When released into the external environment, it retains vital activity for a short time.

Even if some bacteria remain alive for several hours, they become weakened.

Therefore, even if it comes into contact with a person’s genitals, infection may not occur.

Gonococci quickly die at temperatures above 50 degrees.

At temperatures of 40 degrees and above, their viability weakens.

The virulence of bacteria is reduced.

Therefore, in such conditions, infection through household means is unlikely.

Gonococci are also not resistant to low temperatures.

They also die quickly when:

• drying
• exposure to ultraviolet rays
• treatment with disinfectants

Among the disinfectants, silver solution has the strongest effect on gonococci.

Under its influence, bacteria die almost instantly.

Therefore, 1% silver nitrate is used to wash the urethra for emergency prevention of gonococcal infection after sexual intercourse.

It is also instilled into the eyes of newborns to prevent gonococcal ophthalmia.

Prognosis and prevention

In general, the prognosis for life with gonorrhea is favorable. Timely diagnosis and treatment minimize the risk of developing these complications. Gonococcal polyarthritis has quite unpleasant consequences - its phenomena persist for a long time after the pathogen has been completely destroyed.

To prevent infection with gonorrhea, you should abstain from promiscuity and use condoms during sexual intercourse. It is necessary to undergo regular medical examinations, including consultation with a dermatovenerologist.

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Signs of gonorrhea in the male body

The first symptoms and signs of gonorrhea in the male body are:

• pain and discomfort in the urethra;
• yellowish purulent discharge from the urethra;
• burning at the time of urination;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• redness and swelling of the urethra;
• purulent particles appear in the urine.

If, when testing urine from two glasses, the urine in the first vessel is cloudy, and in the second is clear, this means that there is urethritis in the body, which entered the body shortly before the sample was taken.

If, when taking a sample, the urine in the second vessel is cloudy, this means that total and fresh urethritis is present in the body, which begins to progress from 15 to 20 days from the moment of infection with gonococcal infection.

If red spots appear near the urethra, and when pressure is applied to them, they secrete pus, then the disease paraurethritis is present in the body.

In case of inflammation of the foreskin and the head of the penis, the disease balanoposthitis develops, which can cause a narrowing of the foreskin, which does not allow the head of the penis to fully open. Against this background, the disease paraphimosis is formed.

With acute gonorrhea in the male body, the prostate gland and its ducts are affected, which leads to prostatitis, which in this form is very poorly diagnosed, because with acute inflammation of the urethra, it is impossible to perform urethroscopy.

Prevention of gonorrhea for men is, first of all, sex protected by a condom.

Also preventive measures for men:

• permanent sexual partner;
• avoid promiscuous sex life;
• do not practice oral and anal sex;
• maintaining intimate hygiene;
• maintain a healthy immune system;
• regular examination by a urologist.

How do you get gonorrhea through normal sexual intercourse?

With a single traditional contact without a condom between opposite-sex partners, the probability of infection is on average 50%.
However, this figure varies greatly for men and women. If a healthy woman comes into contact with a sick man, she will almost certainly catch the infection. This is explained by the fact that quite favorable conditions have been created for gonococcus in the vagina. And, conversely, when an infected woman comes into contact with a healthy man, the risk of getting gonorrhea is much lower for him.

The fact is that the opening of the urethra is very small, and gonococcus from vaginal secretions does not always penetrate into it. And if after sexual intercourse a man also comes down “in a small way,” the likelihood of signs of gonorrhea appearing for him is completely minimal.

Infection of a man from a sick partner occurs only when there is a very large amount of the pathogen. And the risk of transmitting gonorrhea to a partner increases if a woman is menstruating. During this period, the entire infection from the uterus descends into the vagina, where the number of gonococci increases sharply.

In terms of the manifestations of the disease, everything is completely different. In an infected woman, signs of gonococcal infection often appear sluggishly and are often mistaken for ordinary thrush. In a man, they always cause vivid symptoms, with which he turns to a urologist.

It is interesting that for infection with gonorrhea it is not at all necessary that the penis penetrates the vagina. Transmission of gonococcus also occurs when the biological fluid of one of the partners gets on the mucous membranes of the other.

The routes of infection with gonococcal infection are mainly due to unprotected sexual contact. In this case, infection with gonorrhea can occur during any type of intimacy - regular vaginal, oral or anal sex.

The question often arises whether it is possible to become infected with gonorrhea other than through sexual contact. Experts say that gonorrhea can also be transmitted through household contact, but the likelihood of getting the infection through bedding, towels and personal hygiene items is very low.

This is explained by the fact that the mucous membranes are a natural favorable environment for the pathogen of gonococci. Outside this environment they die, remaining active for 4 hours. In addition, for gonorrhea to be transmitted through household means, the number of microorganisms must be sufficiently large. That is, if a person uses a towel or washcloth that a sick person has recently used, then there is a possibility of infection.

How do children become infected with gonorrhea? In families where personal hygiene is not at an adequate level, adults and children share towels, there is a possibility of contracting gonorrhea to minors through household means. Newborns can become infected during childbirth as they pass through the mother's birth canal. In infants, gonorrheal infection usually affects the mucous membrane of the eyes.

Immunotherapy in the treatment of gonorrhea

This direction of treatment aims to normalize the immune status. Therapy can be specific and nonspecific. For specific immunotherapy, gonovaccine is used.

300-400 million microbial bodies are injected intramuscularly every 2 days. Then the body's reaction is assessed. The dosage is increased if necessary. The maximum single dose is 2 billion microbial bodies. In total, an average of 7 injections are required per course.

The dose adequacy criterion is:

• absence of local reactions in the area of ​​drug administration
• no fever

If any of these phenomena are present, at the next injection the dosage is reduced by 20%. Nonspecific immunotherapy is also carried out.

Requires the use of drugs that:

• change the nature of cellular reactions
• increase antibody production
• increase the activity of phagocytes
• increase the overall resistance of the body

Pyrogenal may be prescribed.

He helps:

• prevent scarring in chronic gonorrhea
• accelerate resolution of infiltrates
• normalize tissue repair

The drug improves the penetration of antibiotics into the lesion. It has interferonogenic activity. The drug is administered at a starting dose of 5 mcg, then increased by 5 mcg daily.

Some patients are prescribed Prodigiozan. The starting dose is 2.5 mcg. It is increased every day by 1.5 mcg. A total of 4 injections are required per course. The maximum single dose is 7 mcg.

Lymphotropic administration of drugs in the treatment of gonorrhea

To increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy and reduce the number of side effects, drugs can be administered lymphotropically, into the lower leg. A pressure cuff is used. It blocks the flow of venous blood. Therefore, interstitial fluid is distributed towards the lymphatic bed.

Drugs that are administered subcutaneously are absorbed into the lymph. Because they have low molecular weight. Their concentration in lymph is 2-3 times higher than in blood. In this way, a longer circulation of drugs in the blood plasma is achieved. It is up to 3 times higher than with intramuscular administration. Instead of this method, administration of drugs using lidase is also used.

This enzyme breaks down a number of compounds that form connective tissue.

Therefore, drugs penetrate the lymphatic system when injected into the subcutaneous tissue of the leg.

Indications for lymphotropic immunotherapy:

• chronic gonorrhea
• gonococcal prostatitis, salpingo-oophoritis
• immunity disorders

Enzymes in the treatment of gonorrhea

Enzyme preparations are often used to treat chronic gonorrhea. They increase the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy.

In addition, these tools:

• improve immune function
• prevent the formation of scar tissue
• relieve swelling
• support physiological inflammation
• increase tissue resistance to acidosis (high acidity)

Enzymes increase the effectiveness of antibiotics. Because their concentration in tissues increases by 15-20%.

Causes of gonorrhea infection

The disease is transmitted primarily through sexual contact. Infection with gonorrhea occurs most often between the ages of 15 and 29 years. Promiscuous sexual relations and a low level of sexual culture increase the risk of infection, however, as with any other sexually transmitted disease. Transmission of the disease occurs through all types of sexual contact. Household transmission is possible if basic rules of personal hygiene are violated.

Gonococci selectively affect the mucous membranes of the genitourinary system, upper respiratory tract, rectum, and conjunctiva of the eyes. With poor immunity, skin manifestations of the disease and septic complications (gonorrheal blood poisoning) are possible.

Symptoms

The first signs of gonorrhea of ​​the genitourinary organs:

• in women - purulent vaginal discharge;
• in men - discharge from the urethra;
• itching in the vagina and urethra;
• redness of the skin around the genitals;
• difficulty urinating;
• lower abdominal pain.

Currently, the classic course of gonorrhea practically does not occur - the disease is often asymptomatic or with sluggish manifestations. In this regard, the frequency of chronic forms of gonorrhea and its complications in the form of infertility is increasing.

The spread of the infectious process to internal organs (testes, ovaries, prostate, uterus) leads to systemic manifestations in the form of fever and chills. Infection of the pharynx with gonococcus is manifested by redness of the mucous membrane with an increase in temperature. With blenorrhea, there is abundant formation of pus on the conjunctiva against the background of its inflammation.

Is household gonorrhea transmitted to children?

Even newborns are not protected from the possibility of infection. The most common way of transmitting infection to an infant remains infection during childbirth. When a child passes through the birth canal of a sick mother.

The infection more often affects the genitals of girls than boys. In both sexes, gonococci are equally likely to infect the eyes and nasopharynx.

Infection of the eyes can trigger the development of gonorrheal conjunctivitis. If untimely diagnosis and inadequate treatment can lead to blindness. With timely examination of the pregnant woman and proper treatment, problems can be avoided.

At the birth of a child, regardless of whether the mother is sick with gonorrhea or healthy, the girls’ eyes and genitals are treated prophylactically with a special solution.

Complications of gonorrhea

In women, gonorrhea can lead to pelvic inflammation, which can subsequently lead to infertility and ectopic pregnancy. When purulent contents accumulate in the fallopian tubes, hydrosalpinx (fluid accumulation) develops. With a significant volume of exudate, a rupture of the fallopian tube is possible with fluid spilling into the pelvis and inflammation of the abdominal cavity - pelvioperitonitis.

Purulent urethritis is characterized by intense pain, burning and cutting when urinating. Purulent discharge from the genital tract can stain underwear.

It is also possible to develop gonorrheal bartholinitis (inflammation of the glands of the vestibule of the vagina), which is manifested by the following symptoms:

• redness and swelling;
• compaction of the gland, signs of inflammation along the excretory ducts (canaliculitis);
• the appearance of a dense node measuring 1-1.5 cm (nodose bartholinitis);
• symptoms of a false abscess (the gland becomes painful, mobile, defined as a formation with a diameter of 1 - 8 cm. The skin over the gland is hot, red. Body temperature may rise to 37-38 degrees Celsius, pain, swelling, redness and deformation of the external genitalia );
• true abscess (destruction of the gland and melting of surrounding tissues, occurring against the background of redness and swelling of the genital organs, enlargement of the regional inguinal lymph nodes, an increase in body temperature above 38, severe weakness with limitation of movements). The purulent cavity can open on its own after softening;

Ascending infection with gonococcal infection is possible during childbirth, abortion, or when using intrauterine contraceptives. In this case, endometritis, endomyometritis, and salpingoopharitis develop. Complications are manifested by an increase in body temperature to 38 - 40 degrees, severe weakness, malaise, possible nausea, vomiting, pain in the lower abdomen, in the lower back, sacrum, radiating to the legs. Discharge from the genital tract is often observed, and menstrual irregularities are possible. When the infection is chronic, inflammation is less pronounced.

The most common complication in men is inflammation of the prostate gland (prostatitis). It can occur as an acute or chronic process. Depending on the prevalence of the inflammatory process, prostatitis can be catarrhal, follicular, parenchymal or abscessing. The diagnosis is confirmed if the analysis reveals the presence of the causative agent of gonorrhea in the discharge of the prostate gland, since prostatitis can also be caused by other microbes.

Gonorrheal epididymitis is an acute or chronic inflammation of the epididymis. Within 2-3 days, there is an increase in body temperature to 40 degrees with symptoms of general intoxication. The leading symptom is pain in the scrotum, redness and swelling of the skin, and increased local temperature. An infiltrate forms in the affected tissues of the appendage, which is subsequently replaced by scar tissue. Over the next 3-4 weeks, the pain decreases. A complication of bilateral epididymitis can be infertility.

With advanced, long-term gonorrheal urethritis, the formation of cicatricial narrowing (stricture), manifested by impaired urination, is possible. Impaired urine outflow is a provoking factor for frequent urinary tract infections and urolithiasis.

Complications that occur in both men and women:

• oropharyngeal gonorrhea - manifests itself to a large extent in women after oral sex. Characterized by sore and sore throat, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, enlarged tonsils, submandibular and cervical lymph nodes;
• gonorrheal stomatitis - observed at any age. In the oral cavity, against the background of redness and swelling of the mucous membrane, small bubbles form, when they rupture, erosions are formed with the release of foul-smelling contents;
• gonorrheal perihepatitis (Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome) - often combined with chlamydial infection, manifested by pain in the right hypochondrium, epigastric region. If gonococcal infection predominates, pain in the right hypochondrium is more intense due to the possible development of limited peritonitis;
• Gonorrheal cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder mucosa, leading to difficulty urinating and pain. Urine is cloudy and may contain pus and blood;
• gonorrheal proctitis - manifested by redness, swelling, burning or itching in the anus. Cracks and erosions may appear. I am concerned about pain and false urge to defecate, sometimes with the release of pus and blood;
• gonorrheal arthritis - manifests itself as migrating pain in the joints, followed by tenosynovitis and arthritis of the wrist, ankle or knee joint, and dermatitis.

Often, gonorrheal arthritis or tenosynovitis (inflammatory damage to the tendons) can spread to the muscles (myositis), and manifest as swelling, soreness, and difficulty moving in the affected muscle.

Gonorrheal meningitis occurs when a gonorrheal infection spreads to the central nervous system, manifested by neurological (headaches, fever, impaired movement and sensitivity in the limbs) and mental abnormalities (hallucinations, delirium).

Gonorrheal sepsis is a blood infection caused by gonococci. This complication often occurs in weakened patients (including HIV-infected patients). The infection spreads throughout the body, leading to the emergence of foci of infection in distant organs. The heart, lungs, liver, kidneys are affected, and multiple organ failure occurs. Without treatment, sepsis can be fatal.

Gonorrheal meningitis and gonorrheal sepsis are the most severe complications.

Complications

There is an opinion that gonorrhea, although an unpleasant disease, is quite harmless. This may be true to some extent. But only in the initial stage, when it can be quickly and completely cured. The chronic form is more difficult to treat and is dangerous due to various complications.

In this form, the disease is asymptomatic and, in the absence of treatment, spreads throughout the body. The inflammatory process spreads to the nearest organs and eventually covers the entire body.

So in women, gonorrhea provokes inflammation of the fallopian tubes and uterus. Obstruction develops and subsequently infertility. An ectopic pregnancy is possible, which poses a threat to the patient’s life.

Pus can accumulate in the fallopian tubes and cause the development of hydrosalpinx. It also accumulates in the uterine cavity, which enlarges the abdominal area and causes pain. As a result, the uterus may rupture and leak pus into the abdominal cavity, which is called pelvioperitonitis.

When gonococci penetrate the gland, bartholinitis develops. A bactericidal environment develops in the gland, after which a nodule forms in the groin, upon pressure on which purulent contents are released. It is also possible for such a nodule to form in the vagina. As a result, there is an increase in temperature, pain when walking and sitting. In this case, only surgical intervention followed by drug therapy is recommended.

The most serious consequences of chronic gonorrhea in men are prostatitis and inflammation of the testicles (orchipididymitis). The latter occurs with increased body temperature, swelling of the scrotum, and pain in the affected area. Prostatitis, which is caused by gonorrhea, is difficult to treat and most often leads to infertility and male inferiority.

The infection also spreads to other organs, leading to disseminated gonococcal infection. In this case, internal organs, skin, joints, and eyes are affected.

When moving to the eyes, gonococcal conjunctivitis or gonoblennorrhea develops. These diseases are also difficult to treat and lead to partial or complete loss of vision.

Various complications can be avoided by adhering to the prescribed course of therapy and preventive measures.