Gonorrhea natural history, complications, and prognosis

Overview
Gonorrhea (gonorrhoea in British English) is amongst the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world and is caused by Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria gonorrheae. The term comes from Ancient Greek γονόρροια (gonórrhoia), literally "flow of seed"; in ancient times it was incorrectly believed that the pus discharge associated with the disease contained semen.

Natural history, comlications, and prognosis

 * In men, inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis), prostate gland (prostatitis) and urethral structure (urethritis) can result from untreated gonorrhea.
 * In women, untreated gonorrhea can result in cyst and abscess formation in one or more of the greater vestibular glands (bartholinitis), causing trouble walking; PID; and Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome.
 * The most common result of untreated gonorrhea is pelvic inflammatory disease, a serious infection of the female reproductive tract.
 * PID causes scarring of the fallopian tubes which leads to increased risks of causing an ectopic pregnancy as a fertilized egg may not be able to pass through the narrowed, scarred fallopian tube. Ectopic pregnancies are serious conditions which are potentially life-threatening to the mother.
 * In both sexes, disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) can occur, leading to multiple distant sites of infection which can include the brain, heart and joints.
 * When joints become involved, gonococcal arthritis can develop. Gonococcal arthritis occurs after primary infection of the genitalia, anus, or throat.  This occurs in about 1% of patients who are infected with gonorrhea and is more common in women than men.
 * Typical symptoms include a 5–7 day history of fever, shaking, chills, multiple skin lesions, fleeting migratory polyarthralgias and tenosynovitis in fingers, wrists, toes or ankles. This should be evaluated promptly with a culture of the synovial fluid, blood, cervix, urethra, rectum, skin lesion fluid, or pharynx.
 * The underlying gonorrhea should be treated; if this is done then usually a good prognosis will follow.
 * A gonorrhea infection that has not spread to the bloodstream or other areas almost always can be cured with antibiotics. Gonorrhea that has spread is a more serious infection but almost always gets better with treatment.

Possible complications
Complications in women may include: Complications in men may include: Complications in both men and women may include:
 * Salpingitis (scarring of the fallopian tubes), which can lead to problems getting pregnant or ectopic pregnancy
 * Pelvic inflammatory disease
 * Sterility (inability to become pregnant)
 * Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)
 * Pregnant women with severe gonorrhea may pass the disease to their baby while in the womb or during delivery
 * Scarring or narrowing of the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body
 * Abscess (collection of pus around the urethra)
 * Urination problems
 * Urinary tract infection
 * Kidney failure
 * Disseminated infection, which can be very serious
 * Long-term joint pain, if the infection is left untreated
 * Heart valve infection
 * Meningitis