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GONORRHEA |
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This is also known as "GC" ,"Clap", "Drip","Dose", etc. It is caused by a bacterium known as Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
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How You Catch It:
- Men and women catch it having sexual intercourse, oral sex or anal sex. Babies can catch the disease from the mothers while they are being born.
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When Symptoms Show:
- Most women have no early symptoms. Most men have signs in 2 to 10 days. Because women may not have early symptoms, they should get tested if they think their partner might have given them an infection. This way they can be treated before the disease gets worse.
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Signs of Infection:
- A man usually has a discharge or drip from his penis, or a sore throat or bowel opening. A woman can have a discharge from her vagina. She often has a bad pain in her lower abdomen (below her navel), which is a sign of a disease called PID, as her infection gets worse. She may also have a sore throat or bowel opening.
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Problems:
- A man can get an infection in the tube that carries his urine or semen through his penis. This can make it hard for him to have an erection, or to father a baby. A woman can have an infection (PID) in her reproductive system. In both men and women, the germs can spread to other parts of their bodies and cause arthritis, heart trouble, brain damage or blindness. Babies who get their eyes infected during birth can go blind.
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Tests:
- Tests can be done on material taken from the infected area. Results may be given right away, or testing may take a few days.
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Treatment:
- Antibiotics are given by shot or pill.
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Other:
- Any sex partner should be tested and treated. Don’t have sex with anyone until the doctor or clinic says you are cured.
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For more information:
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