![]() In this case, the gonococci have up to three months to chill out in the throat, where they can meet closely related bacteria species - which are able to share antibiotic-resistance genes with gonococci! Then, if they are transferred to a new host, their genetic resistance to drugs might give them a leg up on their competitors. If the gonorrhea-afflicted individual doesn’t visit a clinic at all - either due to fear, lack of access, or lack of symptoms - he or she won’t receive any treatment whatsoever. While these insufficient doses might not be strong enough to clear a throat infection, exposure to them will help the bacteria adapt to drug-drenched environments, allowing them to evolve right under our noses - literally! Oral gonorrhea is more difficult to cure than genital gonorrhea, because cephalosporins, the antibiotics we currently use to treat it, aren’t able to concentrate in the throat tissues at dosages high enough to reliably kill gonococci. The antibiotics he takes will be effective in the genital region, but are not as likely to eradicate the gonococci colonizing his throat. Let’s say that someone with gonorrhea infections in both the throat and the genital region visits a clinic, where he is promptly diagnosed with a genital gonorrhea infection, but is not tested for an oral infection. And these hidden throat infections are likely to be helping to drive the development of antibiotic resistance. So, while it sounds like a blessing that gonorrhea of the throat rarely has symptoms, there’s actually a drawback: An oral gonorrhea infection probably won’t be effectively treated - or even identified in the first place. ![]() While scientists figure out how to address this emerging threat, you can do your part by avoiding gonorrhea in the first place - and that includes using condoms and dental dams to prevent oral gonorrhea infections. If gonorrhea evolves complete resistance to the drugs we use to cure it, we could find ourselves sent back in time, to the days when gonorrhea was untreatable - and responsible for infertility, blindness, and chronic pain. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea is considered one of the most pressing problems in infectious disease - just two years ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention named it an “urgent threat,” and indeed, gonorrhea seems to be evolving resistance to drugs at quite a rapid clip. Well, aside from the possibility of transmitting a gonorrhea infection from your throat to someone’s genitals, there’s one other thing to care about: the development of antibiotic resistance. Many researchers believe that the throat is an incubator for antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea. Why, then, should you care about a gonorrhea infection in your throat? You’re not likely to notice it’s there, and it’ll go away on its own anyway. If you read our September 2012 article on gonorrhea of the throat, you might remember these fun facts: Oral gonorrhea goes away within three months, even without treatment! Plus, these infections rarely have symptoms. Indeed, performing oral sex on multiple partners has been found to increase risk for an oral gonorrhea infection (more properly called pharyngeal gonorrhea). But gonococci, the bacteria that cause gonorrhea, can also set up camp in the pharynx after being transmitted into a mouth and down a throat when its new host gave oral sex to its old host. When I say “gonorrhea,” you might think of genitals that feel as though they have been set ablaze, or perhaps a viscous fluid oozing from the urethra. Here's are four gonorrhea symptoms you should watch out for.Pictured above: An illustration of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that cause gonorrhea. Once it spreads, the infection could cause scarring in the epididymis, a part of the testicle that stores and carries sperm, and possible result in infertility. Left untreated, gonorrhea infections could spread to the scrotum, prostate, testes, or more rarely, your blood, he explains. Although some guys with gonorrhea won't exhibit any symptoms, there are certain tell-tale signs, particularly as the infection progresses, says Rebick. However, regular STD testing and speedy treatment can help stop the spread, which makes it vital to head to the doctor once you think something is wrong. Gabriel Rebick, clinical assistant professor of infectious diseases and immunology at NYU Langone Health. Thankfully, gonorrhea is treatable with antibiotics, and will clear up within several days of being treated, according to Dr. Data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention shows that gonorrhea rates have doubled in guys from 2016 to 2017. For guys, gonorrhea is becoming increasingly common. ![]() Here's some unsexy news about getting it on: STD rates are at an all-time high.
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