Women may also have abdominal pain or abnormal bleeding. Infections in the throat and rectum cause few symptoms. Symptoms may be noticed 2 to 7 days after having sex with an infected person, but it can take as long as 30 days and often, there may be no symptoms, particularly in females. Gonorrhea is diagnosed through laboratory examination of penile or vaginal discharges to see if bacteria are present. Specimens from the throat may also be examined.
Gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact.
This includes penis to vagina, penis to mouth, penis to rectum and mouth to vagina contact. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to child during birth. All strains of gonorrhea are curable, but this disease is becoming more and more resistant to many standard medications. Without treatment, there is a good chance that complications will develop from gonorrhea infection. PID can make women unable to have children or cause them to be at risk for ectopic pregnancy.