Gonorrhea, sometimes called “the clap,” is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect the cervix, urethra, rectum, throat, and eyes. It spreads mainly through vaginal, anal, or oral sex and can pass to a baby during delivery.
Many infections cause no symptoms, especially in the cervix, rectum, or throat. Gonorrhea is curable with the correct antibiotic, but the bacteria have developed resistance to many older medicines. Prompt testing, recommended treatment, partner care, and follow-up help prevent pelvic inflammatory disease, epididymitis, infertility, and infection that spreads through the bloodstream.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Gonorrhea (‘The Clap’) – NIH MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/gonorrhea.html
Offers clear information about gonorrhea symptoms, testing, treatment, resistance, and prevention.
Gonorrhea is one of the most commonly reported bacterial STIs in the United States. It affects people of all genders and sexual orientations, and rates vary by age, community, geography, access to care, and testing practices.
Reported cases underestimate the true number because many infections are silent. Screening based on age, anatomy, pregnancy, partners, and oral, vaginal, or anal exposures finds infection before complications develop.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Getting Tested for STIs – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Explains STI screening recommendations and why every exposed body site may need testing.
Many people have no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they may include:
Symptoms can overlap with chlamydia, Mgen, trichomoniasis, urinary infection, PID, or other conditions. Laboratory testing is required.
A provider will ask about symptoms, pregnancy, partners, and oral, vaginal, and anal contact so every exposed site is tested. The discussion should be private, respectful, and nonjudgmental.
An examination may include the genitals, pelvis, testicles, rectum, throat, eyes, skin, or joints when symptoms suggest a complication. Many people can be tested with urine or self-collected swabs without an internal examination.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Getting Tested for STIs – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Explains STI screening recommendations and why every exposed body site may need testing.
Gonorrhea occurs when N. gonorrhoeae infects moist tissues. Transmission can happen even without ejaculation and when the infected person has no symptoms.
Gonorrhea is not spread by toilet seats, casual touching, hugging, swimming pools, sharing food, or ordinary household contact.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Complications and spread are more likely when diagnosis or correct treatment is delayed, partners remain untreated, or antibiotics are used incorrectly.
Unnecessary antibiotics contribute to resistance. Do not self-treat based on symptoms or an online result without clinical guidance.
Clinical Treatment of Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
Explains recommended treatment, antibiotic resistance concerns, and expedited partner therapy.
You can lower the chance of gonorrhea by:
Condoms reduce risk but do not work perfectly. Regular testing and prompt treatment remain important.
Condom Use – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/condom-use/
Provides guidance on correct condom use to reduce STI risk.
Getting Tested for STIs – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Explains STI screening recommendations and why every exposed body site may need testing.
The following video content is provided to help you better understand this condition. These resources are intended for educational purposes and should not replace personalized medical advice from your healthcare provider.
Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are commonly used because they are accurate and work with urine or swab samples.
A urine test does not rule out throat or rectal gonorrhea. Tell the clinician about every exposed site even if it has no symptoms.
Gonorrhea Test – NIH MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/gonorrhea-test/
Explains urine and swab testing, preparation, and how results are interpreted.
HIV Testing – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/testing/index.html
Explains HIV testing options and how to find testing.
Imaging is not used to diagnose uncomplicated gonorrhea. It may be needed when symptoms suggest a complication.
A negative test from one body site does not exclude infection at another site.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
About Pelvic Inflammatory Disease – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/pid/about/index.html
Explains PID symptoms, complications, treatment, and when to seek care.
CDC recommends ceftriaxone given by intramuscular injection for uncomplicated gonorrhea. The exact dose depends partly on body weight. If chlamydia has not been ruled out, additional oral treatment is prescribed.
Alternative regimens are used only in selected situations such as severe allergy or unavailable ceftriaxone. Throat gonorrhea is harder to cure, and reliable alternatives are limited.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
Clinical Treatment of Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
Explains recommended treatment, antibiotic resistance concerns, and expedited partner therapy.
During treatment, focus on preventing transmission and reinfection.
Hydration and hygiene do not cure gonorrhea. Recommended antibiotics are required.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Condom Use – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/condom-use/
Provides guidance on correct condom use to reduce STI risk.
Ceftriaxone is the preferred antibiotic for uncomplicated gonorrhea and is given as an injection. Doxycycline is added when chlamydia has not been excluded, unless pregnancy or another factor requires a different option.
Tell your provider about severe cephalosporin or penicillin reactions, pregnancy, kidney or liver disease, and all medicines. Do not share antibiotics or use older regimens on your own; resistance has made many previous medicines unreliable.
Contact the clinic if symptoms do not clearly improve within several days, return after treatment, or you have sexual contact before partners are treated. Culture and antibiotic-susceptibility testing may be needed for possible treatment failure.
Clinical Treatment of Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
Explains recommended treatment, antibiotic resistance concerns, and expedited partner therapy.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
Uncomplicated gonorrhea does not require surgery. Most people need sample collection and an antibiotic injection.
Ask why a procedure is needed, expected benefits, risks, recovery, and how results will change treatment.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
Most uncomplicated gonorrhea is cured with recommended treatment. Antibiotics stop the infection but cannot reverse permanent scarring, infertility, or other damage that occurred before treatment.
A test of cure is not routinely needed for uncomplicated genital or rectal infection treated correctly, but every throat infection needs testing 7–14 days after treatment. Everyone treated for gonorrhea should be retested about three months later because reinfection is common.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Helpful home steps include:
Do not rely on symptom improvement alone. Infection may be silent, and follow-up requirements still apply.
Gonorrhea (‘The Clap’) – NIH MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/gonorrhea.html
Offers clear information about gonorrhea symptoms, testing, treatment, resistance, and prevention.
Yes. Many genital, rectal, and throat infections are silent but can still spread and cause complications.
It is an old slang term with an uncertain origin. The medical name is gonorrhea.
Yes. Gonorrhea can infect the throat and can spread between the throat and genitals.
No. Gonorrhea is not spread through toilet seats or ordinary household contact.
Wait seven days after treatment, until partners have been treated, and until symptoms are gone.
Reinfection is common. Retesting identifies a new infection early even if you believe partners were treated.
Throat infection is harder to eliminate and is important in antibiotic resistance, so CDC recommends testing 7–14 days after treatment.
No. Infection may be silent, and a test cannot determine exactly when transmission occurred or identify a specific partner.
Consider asking:
Most uncomplicated infections can be managed in primary care, urgent care, or a sexual-health clinic. Referral may be made to:
Health departments can assist with confidential testing, treatment, partner notification, and resistance follow-up.
Partner Services – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/clinical-partnerServices.htm
Explains confidential partner notification, evaluation, treatment, and public-health services.
Yes. Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection and is usually cured with recommended antibiotics. Cure does not create immunity, so reinfection can occur from an untreated or new infected partner.
Antibiotic resistance is a serious public-health concern. Completing the recommended plan and promptly reporting persistent symptoms helps detect resistant infection.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Clinical Treatment of Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
Explains recommended treatment, antibiotic resistance concerns, and expedited partner therapy.
Seek urgent or emergency care for:
Bloodstream spread, infected joints, severe PID, testicular torsion, ectopic pregnancy, and gonococcal eye infection can cause permanent harm and need rapid treatment.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
CALL 911
APNS does not provide emergency medical services. If you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency, including (but not limited to) chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms, severe allergic reactions, anaphylaxis, uncontrolled bleeding, seizures, loss of consciousness, or any other potentially life-threatening condition, you are instructed to call 911 immediately or go immediately to the nearest emergency department.
About Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/about/index.html
Provides patient-friendly information about symptoms, transmission, testing, treatment, pregnancy, and prevention.
Gonococcal Infections Among Adults – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/gonorrhea-adults.htm
Provides current guidance about treatment, exposed-site testing, follow-up, partner care, and complications.
Clinical Treatment of Gonorrhea – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/gonorrhea/hcp/clinical-care/index.html
Explains recommended treatment, antibiotic resistance concerns, and expedited partner therapy.
Gonorrhea Test – NIH MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/gonorrhea-test/
Explains urine and swab testing, preparation, and how results are interpreted.
Gonorrhea (‘The Clap’) – NIH MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/gonorrhea.html
Offers clear information about gonorrhea symptoms, testing, treatment, resistance, and prevention.
Getting Tested for STIs – CDC
https://www.cdc.gov/sti/testing/index.html
Explains STI screening recommendations and why every exposed body site may need testing.
Partner Services – CDC STI Treatment Guidelines
https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment-guidelines/clinical-partnerServices.htm
Explains confidential partner notification, evaluation, treatment, and public-health services.
This guide is intended for educational purposes only and should not replace medical advice, diagnosis, laboratory testing, or treatment from a healthcare provider. Gonorrhea may cause no symptoms and requires recommended prescription antibiotics. Avoid sexual contact for seven days after treatment and until partners are treated and symptoms are gone. Seek urgent care for severe pelvic or abdominal pain, sudden testicular pain, fever with rash or joint swelling, serious eye symptoms, pregnancy with pain or bleeding, or a severe medication reaction.
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