Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea (sometimes called "the clap") is a bacterial STI that can infect the genitals, throat, and rectum. It's the second most common bacterial STI in the UK after chlamydia, and rates have been rising — especially in young people. Like chlamydia, it often has no symptoms, but it's curable with antibiotics if caught early.

• Gonorrhoea is a bacterial STI that's becoming more common in the UK.
• It can infect the genitals, throat, and rectum — depending on the type of sex.
• Many people have no symptoms, so you can have it without knowing.
• It's cured with antibiotics, but antibiotic-resistant strains are a growing concern.
• Untreated gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and fertility problems.

How you get it

Gonorrhoea is passed on through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with someone who has it. It can also be passed by sharing sex toys that haven't been washed or covered with a new condom. You can get it in the genitals, the throat (from giving oral sex to someone who has genital gonorrhoea), or the rectum (from anal sex).

Condoms significantly reduce the risk, but like all STIs, the only way to be sure is to get tested — especially since many people carry it without symptoms.

Symptoms (when they show up)

A lot of people with gonorrhoea don't get symptoms — roughly 50% of people with a vagina and about 10% of people with a penis have no signs at all. Throat and rectal gonorrhoea are also often asymptomatic.

When symptoms do appear, they might include:

• Unusual discharge from the penis, vagina, or anus — often thick and yellow or green
• Pain or burning when you pee
• Pain in the lower belly (for people with a uterus)
• Bleeding between periods or after sex
• Sore throat (if the infection is in the throat)
• Pain or discharge from the anus (if the infection is rectal)

Symptoms in people with a penis tend to be more obvious than in people with a vulva, but not always.

Why antibiotic resistance matters

Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics — currently an injection plus tablets in most cases. [CHECK: current UK first-line treatment protocol] But here's the problem: gonorrhoea has been developing resistance to antibiotics over the years. Strains that are harder to treat keep emerging. This is why it's important to take the full course of treatment exactly as prescribed and to go back for a follow-up test to make sure it's gone.

The rise of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea is a genuine public health concern. It's one of the reasons prevention (condoms, regular testing) matters so much.

What happens if it's not treated

Untreated gonorrhoea can lead to serious complications. In people with a uterus, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which can scar the fallopian tubes and lead to fertility problems, chronic pain, and ectopic pregnancy. In people with a penis, it can cause epididymitis — painful swelling in the tubes near the testicles.

In rare cases, untreated gonorrhoea can spread to the blood or joints, causing a more serious systemic infection.

Things people get wrong

"You'd know if you had it." Many people don't — especially throat and rectal infections, which are almost always symptomless. Testing is the only reliable way to know.

"Gonorrhoea is easy to cure." It usually is — for now. But antibiotic-resistant strains are a real and growing problem. Treatment isn't something to take for granted.

"You can't get it from oral sex." You absolutely can. Throat gonorrhoea is common and usually has no symptoms, which means people can pass it on without knowing.

Things people ask about gonorrhoea

How do I get tested?

Testing is done with a urine sample or a swab (genital, throat, or rectal depending on the type of sex you've had). It's quick, free at sexual health clinics, and results usually come back within a couple of weeks.

Can I get it again after being treated?

Yes. Treatment cures the current infection but doesn't make you immune. You can catch it again if you have sex with someone who has it.

Should I get my throat tested?

If you've given oral sex, yes — especially to a penis. Throat gonorrhoea is very common and almost never has symptoms. Most standard STI tests don't include a throat swab unless you ask, so mention it at the clinic.

How is it different from chlamydia?

They're both bacterial STIs with similar symptoms (or no symptoms). Gonorrhoea tends to cause more obvious symptoms in people with a penis, and it's the one with antibiotic resistance concerns. They can also occur together — it's possible to have both at the same time.

Where to get help

• Sexual health clinics (GUM clinics) — free testing and treatment. No GP referral needed.
• SH:24 / Fettle — free postal STI testing kits in some areas. [CHECK: whether these test for gonorrhoea specifically]
• Brook — sexual health services for under-25s.

Gonorrhoea is an infection caused by bacteria. You can catch it from having sex with someone who has it — through vaginal, anal, or oral sex. It's sometimes called "the clap." It's the second most common infection of this type in the UK.

Many people who have gonorrhoea don't feel anything at all, which means they can pass it on without knowing. When there are signs, they can include unusual yellow or green fluid coming from between the legs or the bum, pain when you wee, tummy pain, or a sore throat.

It can be cured with antibiotics. But some types of gonorrhoea are becoming harder to treat because the bacteria are getting used to the medicine. That's why it's important to take all the medicine you're given and go back to check it's gone.

If it's not treated, it can cause serious problems inside the body, including making it harder to have babies later.

Testing is simple — usually a wee sample or a swab. It's free at sexual health clinics. If you've had oral sex, it's worth asking for a throat test too, because throat infections almost never have any signs.

Using condoms helps lower the risk. Getting tested regularly is the best way to catch it early.