Common Causes of Gonorrhea
Sexual Activity
You might be infected with gonorrhea after having anal, oral, vaginal, or unprotected sex with a person who has the infection. The risk is also high when the condom breaks during sexual intercourse with your infected partner. Keep in mind that men do not need to ejaculate to transmit the bacteria to their partners. Similar to other germs, touching an infected part of those with the condition would also make you infected. The same holds true when bacteria can penetrate an opening in your body, such as the mouth, anus, penis, and vagina. Even when you have been infected in the past and eradicated the infection, unprotected sex would also make you get the infection.
To reduce the risk of getting infected with gonorrhea, it is recommended to follow the below testing schedule:
– You should have an annual test if your sexual partner is diagnosed with an STI or STD
– You should be tested yearly if you are a woman over 25 years old and have various sexual partners
– You should have an annual test if you are a woman under 25 years old and are sexually active
– You should be tested annually if you are a sexually active man, who has sex with other men or is bisexual or gay
Testing for gonorrhea and other sexually transmitted diseases is not scary or difficult. In most cases, it only requires a simple urine test or swab to get precise results. [8]
