How is Gonorrhea Treated? (Ceftriaxone)

What is Gonorrhea?

Gonorrhea is a bacterial STI. It usually affects the genitalia. However, the infection may also be present in the eyes, mouth, throat, urethra, or rectum.[3]

How is Gonorrhea Transmitted?

Gonorrhea spreads via sexual activity and the use of contaminated needles. [4] A newborn can become infected during childbirth if the mother has untreated gonorrhea. The infection can spread even if a person is asymptomatic, which is why the CDC recommends annual screenings for pregnant and sexually active women under the age of 25, men who have sexual relations with other men, and sexually active people who are HIV-positive.[5]



Gonorrhea doesn't spread via activities such as hugging, holding hands, or being in close contact with an infected person. Unlike viruses such as the common cold, it won't spread if an infected person coughs near you or uses the same dishes as you.[6]

Common Symptoms of Gonorrhea

While some gonorrhea symptoms are gender-specific, others can affect men and women alike. These include pain when urinating, anal itching, discharge from the rectum, eye pain, sensitivity to light, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, a sore throat, and swollen, painful joints.

Symptoms In Men

Gonorrhea symptoms specific to men include a pus-like discharge from the penis and testicular pain and/or swelling.

Symptoms In Women

How is Gonorrhea Diagnosed?

If you suspect you may have gonorrhea, or you're pregnant and want to make sure you don't pass the condition on to an unborn child, you'll need to see a doctor for STI testing. Your doctor will likely ask questions about your sexual history and symptoms and then take a urine or fluid sample for lab testing. How soon you get results will depend on the capabilities of the medical facility where you seek care. Medical centers with a lab on-site will likely provide faster results than facilities that have to send samples off-site for testing.

What Complications Can Gonorrhea Cause?

Left untreated, gonorrhea can cause a range of painful symptoms. These include swollen and painful joints, liver inflammation, and damage to the brain and heart valve. Men may experience prostate pain and inflammation and/or inflammation in the testicles. Untreated gonorrhea in women can cause pelvic inflammatory disease. This is an STD that causes abdominal pain, pelvic pain, irregular menstrual cycles, pain during sex, and fevers. Pelvic inflammatory disease can also increase the odds of ectopic pregnancies in the future or even cause infertility.[7]

If a pregnant woman has untreated gonorrhea, the newborn may become infected and develop complications such as low birth weight or blindness. Having an abortion with untreated gonorrhea can increase the odds of developing pelvic inflammatory disease by 23% [8]. This is because the abortion pushes the bacteria from the vagina or cervix into other reproductive organs.

How is Gonorrhea Treated?

A range of drugs have been used to treat gonorrhea since it was first discovered in the late 1800s [9]. These include penicillin, macrolides, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones. Unfortunately, bacteria-resistant strains of gonorrhea emerged early on, forcing medical practitioners to develop alternative treatment options to prevent the spread of the disease. At present, the recommended treatment regimen for someone with gonorrhea is high-dose intramuscular cefTRIAXone [10].

Treatments for Adults

Treatments for Babies

Babies who are diagnosed with gonorrhea should receive between 25 and 50 mg of cefTRIAXone per kg in body weight. This should be administrated in a single dose. Dosing should not exceed 250 mg [11].

How to Prevent Gonorrhea

The most effective way to prevent gonorrhea is to avoid sexual contact. If you do have sexual contact, a monogamous relationship is ideal. The fewer partners you have, the less likely you are to contract gonorrhea or any other STI. Use a condom and ask your partner to get tested if he or she is showing signs of a sexually transmitted infection.

Sexually transmitted infections are treatable. However, it's best to do everything possible to avoid contracting one. This is especially important if you're pregnant or are planning on getting pregnant as an undiagnosed STI can cause complications whether you're planning on having the baby or getting an abortion. If you suspect you're pregnant, you'll want to get STI testing as soon as possible to protect yourself from the potentially devastating consequences of a long-term chronic condition.



Pregnancy Care Clinic offers free STI testing as one of its many free services for pregnant women. We conduct tests at our on-site laboratory whenever possible to provide fast results. Tests that can't be done on-site are sent overnight to our partner lab. If you test positive for gonorrhea or another STI, we'll create a treatment plan to meet your specific health needs. All results are confidential, although we are required by law to report some positive results to the County for contact tracing. If you or someone you know could benefit from our services, feel free to get in touch with us to schedule an appointment or visit one of our clinics at your convenience.