Antibiotics for gonorrhoea

Do not treat it with leftover medicine or an antibiotic obtained for someone else. Testing identifies the sites involved and checks for other sexually transmitted infections, while follow-up advice helps prevent persistent infection or reinfection.

Gonorrhoea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can affect the genitals, rectum, throat or eyes. It may cause discharge, pain when urinating, pelvic pain, testicular pain or rectal symptoms, but an infected person can also have no symptoms.

The infection can develop resistance to antibiotics, so the recommended treatment changes over time and place. A throat infection can be harder to clear than infection at some other sites, which is one reason the clinician needs an accurate sexual and exposure history.

Attend a sexual health or medical service for testing and prescribed treatment. Tell the clinician about pregnancy, medicine allergies and recent antibiotics. Take every prescribed dose as directed, even if symptoms settle quickly, and complete any additional treatment given for another infection.

Avoid sexual contact until the treating service says it is safe and until relevant partners have been assessed and treated. Recent partners should be informed without blame so they can receive confidential care. Use the recommended follow-up testing plan, particularly for throat infection, ongoing symptoms or concern about treatment failure.

Seek urgent medical assessment for severe lower abdominal or pelvic pain, fever with vomiting, a very painful or swollen testicle, a hot swollen joint, widespread rash with illness, or eye pain and discharge. These features can reflect infection beyond the original site and should not wait for a routine visit.

Return to the treating service if symptoms persist or recur after treatment, or if sexual contact occurred before partners completed care. Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, facial swelling, collapse or a severe blistering rash after an antibiotic.

Ask which body sites should be tested, whether you also need testing or treatment for chlamydia and other infections, when sexual contact can resume, and whether a test of cure is planned. If notifying a partner feels difficult or unsafe, ask about confidential notification support.