What are the symptoms of gonococcal infection?

Gonorrhea infection mainly manifests as purulent infection of the urinary system, which is one of the common sexually transmitted diseases. As for the symptoms of gonorrhea infection, the symptoms of gonorrhea infection in men and women are different. Men mainly manifest as urethritis, while women mainly manifest as vaginitis.

(1) Male gonorrhea:

① Acute gonorrhea: The incubation period is 1 to 14 days, usually 2 to 5 days. It manifests as symptoms of acute urethritis, redness and swelling of the urethra, itching and slight tingling, followed by thin mucus discharge, causing urination discomfort. After about 2 days, the secretion becomes viscous, the urethra overflows, the pus is dark yellow or yellow-green, the redness and swelling develop to the entire glans penis and part of the urethra, frequent urination occurs, and urination is difficult. Urgency, pain when urinating, difficulty urinating, difficulty in moving, painful erections of the penis at night, enlarged, red, swollen and painful inguinal lymph nodes, and purulent formation. 50% to 70% of patients have gonococcal invasion of the posterior urethra, manifested by urgency to urinate, frequent urination, acute urinary retention, and generally mild systemic symptoms. A few may have a fever of about 38°C, general discomfort, and lack of appetite.

② Chronic gonorrhea: symptoms last for more than 2 months. Due to incomplete treatment, gonococci can hide in the urethral body, paraurethral glands, and urethral crypts, turning the course of the disease into a chronic one. If the patient is physically weak, suffers from anemia, or tuberculosis, the disease will be chronic from the beginning. It is mostly a combined infection of the anterior and posterior urethra, and it is easy to invade the bulbar, membranous and prostatic parts of the urethra. It manifests as itching in the urethra, burning or mild stinging during urination, thin urine flow, weak urination, and dripping urine. Most patients have a small amount of pulpy crust sealing the urethra in the early morning. If the genitals or the root of the penis are squeezed, thin mucus often overflows. The urine is basically clear and gonorrhea can be seen.

(2) Female gonorrhea:

The main site of primary gonococcal infection in women is the cervix. Some patients have no conscious symptoms, but the symptoms are increased leucorrhea, which is purulent or has no characteristics, often with vulvar itching and burning sensation, accompanied by cervical congestion and tenderness, occasional lower abdominal pain and back pain, urethral congestion, tenderness and purulent secretions, mild urinary frequency, urgency, pain, and burning sensation during urination. Gonococcal vaginitis is rare, with mild symptoms. Some patients have abdominal distension, back pain, more leucorrhea, and some patients have lower abdominal pain and excessive menstruation.

(3) Gonorrhea in other parts of the body

Gonorrheal conjunctivitis: Newborns often develop symptoms 2 to 3 days after birth, mostly bilaterally, with red and swollen eyelids and purulent secretions. Adults are mostly self-infected, often unilaterally, with the same symptoms as newborns. Due to the overflow of pus, it is commonly known as "pus leaking eyes". If treatment is delayed, corneal perforation may occur, leading to blindness.