Definition for Gonorrhea
From Biology Forums Dictionary
Infection with the Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, a disease recognized for centuries. In men, gonorrhea causes acute inflammation, extremely painful urination, and a purulent discharge. In women, the infection is often asymptomatic while silently damaging the uterine tubes and resulting in sterility. It can also cause PID. Newborns infected during vaginal birth may suffer inflammation of the cornea, potentially leading to blindness.
Gonococci adhere via their fimbriae and capsules to epithelial cells of the mucous membranes lining much of the genital, urinary, and digestive tracts of humans. The microbe can also attach to sperm cells, thereby invading the sexual partner’s uterus, uterine tubes, and beyond. Phagocytized bacteria survive and multiply within neutrophils. Treatment is with broad-spectrum oral cephalosporin. No vaccine is available. Efforts to stem the spread of gonorrhea focus on education to change sexual behavior, aggressive detection, and the screening of all sexual contacts of carriers.