Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. It can infect the genitals, rectum, and throat. Gonorrhea is spread through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner. Symptoms usually appear 1-14 days after exposure and can include pain or burning during urination, increased vaginal discharge, and sore throat. However, many infected people exhibit no symptoms.
Gonorrhea can be cured with the right antibiotics prescribed by a doctor. However, there has been growing antibiotic resistance, making treatment more difficult. So a common question many people have is: can gonorrhea return after treatment?
Can gonorrhea reoccur after treatment?
Yes, it is possible for gonorrhea to return after treatment. There are several reasons why gonorrhea may reoccur or reinfect someone after treatment:
Reinfection from an untreated partner
If a person has gonorrhea and gets treated, but their partner does not get treated, they can get reinfected if they have sex with that partner again. Even if someone has been treated for gonorrhea, they can get it again by having unprotected sex with an infected partner.
Treatment failure
Sometimes gonorrhea treatment fails to fully cure the infection. This may be because:
- The wrong antibiotic was prescribed
- The dose prescribed was not high enough
- The infection was resistant to the prescribed antibiotic
When treatment failure occurs, gonorrhea bacteria may still remain in the body after treatment. If so, symptoms can return after a few weeks or months.
Reinfection from a new partner
After being treated for gonorrhea, it’s possible to get reinfected if exposed to new infected partner(s). Engaging in unprotected sex with a new partner whose STI status is unknown can spread gonorrhea.
How soon can gonorrhea return after treatment?
Gonorrhea recurrence usually happens within 3-6 months after finishing treatment. But reinfection can occur at any time a person has unprotected sex with an untreated, infected partner.
Some key points on how soon gonorrhea can return after antibiotic treatment:
- Reinfection can happen immediately after treatment if engaging in risky sexual activity.
- Symptoms of repeat infection often recur within 2-6 months.
- It takes 1-14 days after re-exposure for symptoms to appear.
- Retesting 2-3 weeks after finishing treatment can detect possible treatment failure.
What are the risks of recurrent gonorrhea infections?
Having gonorrhea over and over again can lead to serious health risks, including:
Increased antibiotic resistance
Each time gonorrhea recurs, a higher antibiotic dose or different medication may be needed to treat it. Repeated gonorrhea infections increase the risk that the bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics used against it.
Higher risk of HIV and other STIs
Gonorrhea infection causes inflammation and can damage tissues in the genital and anal areas. This makes it easier to get infected with HIV, herpes, chlamydia, and other STIs.
Infection spreading to other sites
Untreated gonorrhea can spread from the initial site of infection to infect the reproductive organs, joints, heart, and other parts of the body.
Infertility
Without treatment, gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women. This scar tissue damage to the fallopian tubes can lead to infertility. In men, gonorrhea can cause epididymitis, which can also lead to infertility if left untreated.
Chronic pain and discomfort
Repeated gonococcal infections that are not treated quickly can cause chronic lower abdominal and pelvic pain.
Increased health complications during pregnancy
Pregnant women with gonorrhea run the risk of premature delivery, low birth weight babies, premature rupture of membranes, and transmission to the infant during delivery.
Who is at high risk of recurrent gonorrhea?
Certain factors that can increase someone’s risk of getting gonorrhea again after treatment include:
- Having a sexual partner who was not treated
- Having multiple sexual partners or anonymous partners
- Not using condoms or other barrier protection
- Having sex with partners who themselves have multiple partners
- Having a prior history of gonorrhea or other STIs
- Exchanging sex for money or drugs
Groups shown to have higher rates of repeat gonorrhea infections include:
- Men who have sex with men
- HIV-positive individuals
- Young adults and adolescents
- People living in low socioeconomic urban areas
- Sex workers
- People who use illicit drugs intravenously
How can recurrent gonorrhea be prevented?
To avoid getting gonorrhea again after treatment, the following prevention tips are recommended:
Avoid unprotected sexual contact
Using condoms and dental dams every time you have vaginal, anal or oral sex is important to stop reinfection. Avoiding sexual contact with possibly infected partners reduces risk.
Get partners treated
Make sure all sexual partners get tested and treated appropriately. Having them take medication at the same time reduces the risk of swapping the infection back and forth.
Limit the number of partners
Decreasing the number of people exposed reduces risk of exposure to gonorrhea again. Sticking with 1 mutually monogamous partner can decrease STI transmission.
Get retested
Follow up with your healthcare provider and get retested 2-3 weeks after finishing treatment to confirm the gonorrhea bacteria is gone. Retest again 3 months later if engaging in risky behaviors.
Practice safe habits
Proper condom use, regular STI testing, and open communication with partners about STIs and protection methods all reduce chances of gonorrhea recurrence.
Conclusion
Yes, it is possible to get gonorrhea again after successful antibiotic treatment. Reinfection can happen through unprotected sex with an untreated partner, treatment failure, or exposure to new infected partners. Repeated gonorrhea infections increase the risk of serious complications. Practicing safer sexual habits and ensuring infected partners get treated can help prevent reinfection. Retesting after treatment is advised to confirm cure, especially for high-risk groups. Working to reduce gonorrhea recurrence is crucial to safeguard future health and fertility.