About Gonorrhoea
What is gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a bacteria. It is the second most commonly reported bacterial STI in the UK after chlamydia.
Is gonorrhoea a serious issue in Wales?
There are approximately 1,000 cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed in Wales each year. Globally there is concern over increasing cases where gonorrhoea is resistant to many commonly used antibiotics.
The World Health Organization has warned that untreatable strains of gonorrhoea are on the rise, with a number of confirmed cases reported in which antibiotics were ineffective.
Who has gonorrhoea in Wales?
It is found most frequently in young people under the age of 25 years and in men who have sex with men. However, anyone who has had unprotected sex could catch this infection.
How can I tell if someone has gonorrhoea?
About 1 in 10 infected men and half of infected women experience no symptoms, those who do have symptoms may have yellow or green discharge, a burning sensation when passing urine (peeing) and pain or tenderness in the abdomen (tummy). Symptoms of gonorrhoea usually develop within about two weeks of being infected, although they sometimes don’t appear until many months later.
How can you get gonorrhoea?
Gonorrhoea spreads through unprotected vaginal, oral or anal sex, as well as through the sharing of sex toys that have not been washed properly or covered with a new condom.
How do I protect myself from gonorrhoea?
Always use a condom. You can get free condoms from this website, please see here. Condoms are the best way to protect yourself and others from gonorrhoea and other STIs, including HIV. If you haven’t liked using condoms in the past, there are many different varieties now designed to increase pleasure and sensation, please get in touch if you want to discuss ordering condoms.
Get regularly tested for gonorrhoea if you have more than one sexual partner. If you would like any advice about your risks for gonorrhoea you can speak to your local sexual health clinic, or you can email us to speak to a health adviser on PHW.SexualHealth@wales.nhs.uk.
If you’ve had gonorrhoea once, you can get it again – and again. That’s why it’s important to get tested regularly.
If I think I’ve put myself at risk of gonorrhoea what should I do?
You should go and get advice from your local sexual health clinic. Or you can order a test kit through our online test and post service here.
Where can I go for advice and support about if I am worried about gonorrhoea?
NHS 111 Wales has extensive information on its website: NHS 111 Wales – gonorrhoea. You can also seek advice from our sexual health advisers at: PHW.SexualHealth@wales.nhs.uk. Or you could ask your GP or at your local sexual health clinic.
What are the benefits of getting tested for gonorrhoea?
- Gonorrhoea is curable, so if you are found to have this infection, you will be given medication to cure it, so you can no longer pass it on to others and it can no longer cause you any harm.
- You can catch gonorrhoea more than once, even if you’ve been treated for it before.
- Even when testing regularly, using a condom will still help to protect you and your partners from gonorrhoea and other STIs.
What if I test Positive?
If you have a positive result for gonorrhoea, you will be contacted and informed of this result. If you have done a test kit and not received any results within 3 weeks of your test being sent off, please contact us on: PHW.SexualHealth@wales.nhs.uk.
You will be asked to make an appointment to see your chosen sexual health centre. They will be able to discuss the result with you and provide treatment.
Does gonorrhoea increase the risk of getting or passing on HIV?
Yes. If you have had unprotected sex you could catch any STI. Having an STI in addition to HIV can make you more likely to pass on HIV. People who regularly engage in unprotected sex with multiple partners are at an increased risk of catching STI’s including gonorrhoea and HIV. You can reduce your risks by using condoms for all sexual activity and testing regularly. For more information on when to test please see here.
Testing and self-testing
If you have any symptoms, you should contact your local sexual health clinic or GP for advice.
We offer a safe and reliable NHS self-testing service which you can order using our website here. You must be a Welsh resident to access this testing service
There are other private self-testing services available online and on the high street. Before using one of these self-test kits, make sure it has a CE quality assurance mark. This means that, provided you use it correctly, the kit will work properly and is safe.
No self-test kit is 100% reliable, and a CE mark is still no guarantee that a particular home test is suitable for you. If you do a self-test for gonorrhoea and the result is positive, it’s important that you contact a health professional as soon as possible and get the support you need.