Gonorrhea
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General Information
Antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae remains an important challenge to
controlling gonorrhea; gonococcal strains may be resistant to penicillins,
tetracyclines, spectinomycin, and fluoroquinolones. Resistance to
CDC-recommended doses of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin exceeds 40% in some Asian
countries. Fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae have also been
reported in the United States and Canada.
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a general term that refers to infection of the
uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus)
and other reproductive organs. It is a common and serious complication of some
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially chlamydia and gonorrhea. Pelvic
inflammatory disease can damage the fallopian tubes and tissues in and near the
uterus and ovaries. Pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to serious consequences
including infertility, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tube or
elsewhere outside of the womb), abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.
Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when bacteria move upward from a woman's
vagina or cervix (opening to the uterus) into her reproductive organs. Many different
organisms can cause Pelvic inflammatory disease, but many cases are associated
with gonorrhea and chlamydia, two very common bacterial sexually transmitted
diseases. A prior episode of Pelvic inflammatory disease increases the risk of
another episode because the reproductive organs may be damaged during the initial
bout of infection.
Sexually active women in their childbearing years are most at risk, and those under
age 25 are more likely to develop Pelvic inflammatory disease than those older than
25. This is partly because the cervix of teenage girls and young women is not fully
matured, increasing their susceptibility to the sexually transmitted diseases that are
linked to Pelvic inflammatory disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Pelvic inflammatory disease vary from none to severe. When Pelvic
inflammatory disease is caused by chlamydial infection, a woman may experience
mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, while serious damage is being done to her
reproductive organs. Because of vague symptoms, Pelvic inflammatory disease
goes unrecognized by women and their health care providers about two thirds of the
time. Women who have symptoms of Pelvic inflammatory disease most commonly
have lower abdominal pain. Other signs and symptoms include fever, unusual vaginal
discharge that may have a foul odor, painful intercourse, painful urination, irregular
menstrual bleeding, and pain in the right upper abdomen (rare).
Prompt and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications of Pelvic
inflammatory disease. Without treatment, Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause
permanent damage to the female reproductive organs. Infection-causing bacteria
can silently invade the fallopian tubes, causing normal tissue to turn into scar tissue.
This scar tissue blocks or interrupts the normal movement of eggs into the uterus. If
the fallopian tubes are totally blocked by scar tissue, sperm cannot fertilize an egg,
and the woman becomes infertile. Infertility also can occur if the fallopian tubes are
partially blocked or even slightly damaged. About one in ten women with Pelvic
inflammatory disease becomes infertile, and if a woman has multiple episodes of
Pelvic inflammatory disease, her chances of becoming infertile increase.
In addition, a partially blocked or slightly damaged fallopian tube may cause a
fertilized egg to remain in the fallopian tube. If this fertilized egg begins to grow in the
tube as if it were in the uterus, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. As it grows, an
ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tube causing severe pain, internal
bleeding, and even death.
Scarring in the fallopian tubes and other pelvic structures can also cause chronic
pelvic pain (pain that lasts for months or even years). Women with repeated
episodes of Pelvic inflammatory disease are more likely to suffer infertility, ectopic
pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.
Prevention
Women can protect themselves from Pelvic inflammatory disease by taking action to
prevent sexually transmitted diseases or by getting early treatment if they do get an
sexually transmitted disease.
The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain
from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship
with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of
transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Treatment
The only current CDC-recommended options for treating Neisseria gonorrhoeae
infections are from a single class of antibiotics, the cephalosporins. Within this
class, ceftriaxone, available only as an injection, is the recommended treatment for
all types of gonorrhea infections (i.e., urogenital, rectal, and pharyngeal). The only
oral agent recommended currently by CDC for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital
or rectal gonorrhea is a single dose of cefixime 400 mg (1). Availability of cefixime
had been limited since July 2002, when Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (Collegeville,
Pennsylvania) discontinued manufacturing cefixime tablets in the United States (2).
Beginning in April 2008, cefixime (Suprax®) 400 mg tablets are again available in the
United States.
Oral cefixime is now being provided by Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Baltimore,
Maryland), which received Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2004
to manufacture and market cefixime. Lupin has been manufacturing and marketing
cefixime oral suspension (100 mg/5 mL) since February 2004 and cefixime oral
suspension (200 mg/5 mL) since April 2007. Public health pricing* will be available
for the 400 mg cefixime tablets.
Source: CDC.gov
Antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae remains an important challenge to
controlling gonorrhea; gonococcal strains may be resistant to penicillins,
tetracyclines, spectinomycin, and fluoroquinolones. Resistance to
CDC-recommended doses of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin exceeds 40% in some Asian
countries. Fluoroquinolone-resistant strains of N. gonorrhoeae have also been
reported in the United States and Canada.
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a general term that refers to infection of the
uterus (womb), fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus)
and other reproductive organs. It is a common and serious complication of some
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), especially chlamydia and gonorrhea. Pelvic
inflammatory disease can damage the fallopian tubes and tissues in and near the
uterus and ovaries. Pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to serious consequences
including infertility, ectopic pregnancy (a pregnancy in the fallopian tube or
elsewhere outside of the womb), abscess formation, and chronic pelvic pain.
Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when bacteria move upward from a woman's
vagina or cervix (opening to the uterus) into her reproductive organs. Many different
organisms can cause Pelvic inflammatory disease, but many cases are associated
with gonorrhea and chlamydia, two very common bacterial sexually transmitted
diseases. A prior episode of Pelvic inflammatory disease increases the risk of
another episode because the reproductive organs may be damaged during the initial
bout of infection.
Sexually active women in their childbearing years are most at risk, and those under
age 25 are more likely to develop Pelvic inflammatory disease than those older than
25. This is partly because the cervix of teenage girls and young women is not fully
matured, increasing their susceptibility to the sexually transmitted diseases that are
linked to Pelvic inflammatory disease.
Symptoms
Symptoms of Pelvic inflammatory disease vary from none to severe. When Pelvic
inflammatory disease is caused by chlamydial infection, a woman may experience
mild symptoms or no symptoms at all, while serious damage is being done to her
reproductive organs. Because of vague symptoms, Pelvic inflammatory disease
goes unrecognized by women and their health care providers about two thirds of the
time. Women who have symptoms of Pelvic inflammatory disease most commonly
have lower abdominal pain. Other signs and symptoms include fever, unusual vaginal
discharge that may have a foul odor, painful intercourse, painful urination, irregular
menstrual bleeding, and pain in the right upper abdomen (rare).
Prompt and appropriate treatment can help prevent complications of Pelvic
inflammatory disease. Without treatment, Pelvic inflammatory disease can cause
permanent damage to the female reproductive organs. Infection-causing bacteria
can silently invade the fallopian tubes, causing normal tissue to turn into scar tissue.
This scar tissue blocks or interrupts the normal movement of eggs into the uterus. If
the fallopian tubes are totally blocked by scar tissue, sperm cannot fertilize an egg,
and the woman becomes infertile. Infertility also can occur if the fallopian tubes are
partially blocked or even slightly damaged. About one in ten women with Pelvic
inflammatory disease becomes infertile, and if a woman has multiple episodes of
Pelvic inflammatory disease, her chances of becoming infertile increase.
In addition, a partially blocked or slightly damaged fallopian tube may cause a
fertilized egg to remain in the fallopian tube. If this fertilized egg begins to grow in the
tube as if it were in the uterus, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. As it grows, an
ectopic pregnancy can rupture the fallopian tube causing severe pain, internal
bleeding, and even death.
Scarring in the fallopian tubes and other pelvic structures can also cause chronic
pelvic pain (pain that lasts for months or even years). Women with repeated
episodes of Pelvic inflammatory disease are more likely to suffer infertility, ectopic
pregnancy, or chronic pelvic pain.
Prevention
Women can protect themselves from Pelvic inflammatory disease by taking action to
prevent sexually transmitted diseases or by getting early treatment if they do get an
sexually transmitted disease.
The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain
from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship
with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Latex male condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of
transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Treatment
The only current CDC-recommended options for treating Neisseria gonorrhoeae
infections are from a single class of antibiotics, the cephalosporins. Within this
class, ceftriaxone, available only as an injection, is the recommended treatment for
all types of gonorrhea infections (i.e., urogenital, rectal, and pharyngeal). The only
oral agent recommended currently by CDC for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital
or rectal gonorrhea is a single dose of cefixime 400 mg (1). Availability of cefixime
had been limited since July 2002, when Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (Collegeville,
Pennsylvania) discontinued manufacturing cefixime tablets in the United States (2).
Beginning in April 2008, cefixime (Suprax®) 400 mg tablets are again available in the
United States.
Oral cefixime is now being provided by Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Baltimore,
Maryland), which received Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2004
to manufacture and market cefixime. Lupin has been manufacturing and marketing
cefixime oral suspension (100 mg/5 mL) since February 2004 and cefixime oral
suspension (200 mg/5 mL) since April 2007. Public health pricing* will be available
for the 400 mg cefixime tablets.
Source: CDC.gov
| Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Gonorrhea is caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a bacterium that can grow and multiply easily in the warm, moist areas of the reproductive tract, including the cervix (opening to the womb), uterus (womb), and fallopian tubes (egg canals) in women, and in the urethra (urine canal) in women and men. The bacterium can also grow in the mouth, throat, eyes, and anus. |
Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.
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