Gonorrhoea

Venereal diseases are almost invariably contracted during coitus with an infected person.Gonorrhoea and other forms of urethritis are common in Britain, but syphilis is relatively rare. About half of the male cases of venereal disease result from homosexual contacts.

Gonorrhoea is due to infection of the mucous membrane of the genito-urinary tract with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The eyes, anal canal, rectum and throat may also be infected. The incubation period is about 3 to 10 days.

Clinical Features. In the male the infection starts in the anterior part of the urethra and tends to spread to the prostate and occasionally to the bladder or the epididymes. There is dysuria, some increased frequency of micturition and a white or yellow discharge from the urethera. If untreated or inadequately treated the discharge becomes less copious or intermittent, or may be observed only on waking from sleep – a condition known as gleet.