Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in mucous membranes of the body. The bacteria can also grow in the mouth, throat, and anus. Ejaculation does not have to occur for gonorrhea to be transmitted or acquired. Gonorrhea can also be spread from mother to child during birth.
Gonorrhea infection can spread to other unlikely parts of the body.
For example, a person can get an eye infection after touching infected genitals and then the eyes. Individuals who have had gonorrhea and received treatment may get infected again if they have sexual contact with persons infected with gonorrhea. Gonorrhea is a very common infectious disease. Each year approximately 650,000 people in the United States are infected with gonorrhea. In 1998, the rate of reported gonorrhea infections was 132.9 per 100,000 persons.