Share this page
Print this article
Was this page helpful?

Gonorrhea

Also known as: GC test
Formal name: Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture; Neisseria gonorrhoeae gram stain; Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA probe; Neisseria gonorrhoeae by Amplified Detection
Related tests: Chlamydia

At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To screen for or diagnose an infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea

When to Get Tested?

If you are sexually active, pregnant, have one or more risk factors for developing gonorrhea, or have symptoms such as increased vaginal discharge, bleeding associated with vaginal intercourse, or burning/painful urination (for women) or a pus-like discharge from the penis or a burning sensation during urination (for men)

Sample Required?

A swab of secretion or discharge from the infected area or a urine sample

Test Preparation Needed?

None

The Test Sample

What is being tested?

The test is looking for presence of the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that more than 700,000 people in the U.S. get new gonorrheal infections each year, but only half of these infections get reported to the CDC. In the US, the highest reported rates of infection are among sexually active teenagers, young adults, and African Americans.

Gonorrhea is generally transmitted through sexual contact (oral, vaginal, or anal) with an infected partner. An infected mother can pass the disease to her baby during childbirth.

While many men with gonorrhea will experience symptoms, most women do not, or they are mistaken for a bladder or other vaginal infection. For men, symptoms usually appear within 2 to 5 days of infection, but can take up to 30 days; for women, those who have symptoms usually experience them within 10 days of infection. Symptoms include, for females, burning or painful urination, increased vaginal discharge, and sometimes bleeding between menstrual periods or brought on by vaginal intercourse. For men, symptoms include a white, yellow or green discharge from the penis, a burning sensation when urinating, and sometimes painful or swollen testicles. Symptoms of rectal infection include discharge, itching, and painful bowel movements.

Gonorrhea can be treated with a course of antibiotics. Untreated gonorrhea can lead to severe complications. Women can develop pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infection that spreads from the vagina and cervix to the uterus and fallopian tubes. PID can cause scaring of the fallopian tubes, which can lead to ectopic pregnancy or infertility. In men, the infection can lead to an inflammation of the testicles that can result in sterility. In both males and females, the bacteria can also spread to the bloodstream and infect the joints, causing a type of arthritis. Other potentially severe clinical complications include osteomyelitis, meningitis, endocarditis, adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and fatal septic shock. A newborn infected with gonorrhea can develop blood, joint, and eye infections that can lead to blindness if not treated.

How is the sample collected for testing?

A swab is used to get a sample of secretion or discharge from the infected area such as the cervix, urethra, penis, anus, or throat. A urine sample is used in some tests. Many doctors will take a sample from more than one body site to increase the likelihood of finding the bacteria.

NOTE: If undergoing medical tests makes you or someone you care for anxious, embarrassed, or even difficult to manage, you might consider reading one or more of the following articles: Coping with Test Pain, Discomfort, and Anxiety, Tips on Blood Testing, Tips to Help Children through Their Medical Tests, and Tips to Help the Elderly through Their Medical Tests.

Another article, Follow That Sample, provides a glimpse at the collection and processing of a blood sample and throat culture.

Is any test preparation needed to ensure the quality of the sample?

No test preparation is needed.

The Test

How is it used?

The test is used in two ways:

  • to diagnose the cause of symptoms, and
  • to screen sexually active people.

A definitive diagnosis is important because symptoms of gonorrhea can resemble chlamydia clinically and the two disorders require different treatment.

There are several methods available, but the preferred method of testing currently is the molecular test. This test is based on amplification of the DNA that is present in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Molecular testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae is currently the standard and is widely utilized. The advantage of molecular tests is that they are generally more sensitive and specific than conventional culture and can therefore identify more positive specimens.

In men, a quick method that may be used in a clinic or doctor's office is the gram stain, which allows the doctor to look at a sample from the urethra for the presence of the bacteria using a microscope. This method is not used on samples from women.

Testing for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis is generally done simultaneously as the two organisms have similar clinical signs and symptoms.

^ Back to top

When is it ordered?

A doctor may order the test if you have symptoms such as (for women) increased vaginal discharge, bleeding associated with vaginal intercourse, or burning/painful urination; or (for men) pus discharging from the penis, a burning sensation during urination, or proctitis (inflammation of the rectal or anal area). However, because many infected people do not have any symptoms, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following:

  • All sexually active females 25 years of age and younger should have a gonorrhea test each year.
  • All other sexually active women who have no symptoms but are at increased risk for infection should be routinely screened.
  • All pregnant women are tested for gonorrhea.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that males who have sex with males be screened at least once a year for gonorrhea as well as other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV.

^ Back to top

What does the test result mean?

A positive test indicates an active infection that requires treatment with a course of antibiotics.

A negative test means only that there is no evidence of disease at the time of the test. It is important for those who are at increased risk of infection to have screening tests performed on a regular basis to check for possible exposure.

If you are infected, your sexual partner(s) should also be tested and treated as well.

^ Back to top

Is there anything else I should know?

If you are infected, your risk of contracting other sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, is increased.

^ Back to top

Common Questions

1.  How long does it take to get results?

Typically, results from cultures and DNA amplification methods are returned to your doctor in three to five days. Gram stains can be done immediately, but results are not as reliable as culture.

^ Back to top

2.  When would cultures be preferred over molecular tests?

Molecular tests should not be used to diagnose or verify cases with legal implications. Until the legal system changes, only a positive culture result proving infection with gonorrhea is admissible in court.

^ Back to top

3.  How can gonorrhea be prevented?

The American Social Health Association has information on ways to reduce your risk.

^ Back to top

Ask a Laboratory Scientist

This form enables you to ask specific questions about your tests. Your questions will be answered by a laboratory scientist as part of a voluntary service provided by one of our partners, American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science. If your questions are not related to your lab tests, please submit them via our Contact Us form. Thank you.

* indicates a required field




  Patient, Family member or Friend
  Laboratorian or Other Medical Professional
  Other



You must provide a valid email address in order to receive a response.



| Read The Disclaimer


Spam Prevention

| |

Article Sources

« Return to Related Pages

NOTE: This article is based on research that utilizes the sources cited here as well as the collective experience of the Lab Tests Online Editorial Review Board. This article is periodically reviewed by the Editorial Board and may be updated as a result of the review. Any new sources cited will be added to the list and distinguished from the original sources used.

Sources Used in Current Review

(July 7, 2009) Schwartz R, Kapila R. eMedicine: Gonococcemia. Available online at http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1055007-overview through http://emedicine.medscape.com. Accessed July 2009.

ARUP Consult. Sexually Transmitted Infections. Available online at http://www.arupconsult.com/Topics/InfectiousDz/Bacteria/STIs.html# through http://www.arupconsult.com. Accessed May 2009.

MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Gonorrhea. Available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007267.htm. Accessed July 2009.

Wu, A. (2006). Tietz Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, Fourth Edition. Saunders Elsevier, St. Louis, Missouri. Pp 1560-1561.

American Social Health Association: Gonorrhea, Fast Facts. Available online at http://www.ashastd.org/learn/learn_gonorrhea_fact.cfm through http://www.ashastd.org. Accessed May 2009.

Planned Parenthood: Gonorrhea. Available online at http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/gonorrhea-4269.htm through http://www.plannedparenthood.org. Accessed May 2009.

Quest Diagnostics Patient Health Library: Gonorrhea Test. Available online at http://www.mylabisquest.com/kbase/topic/medtest/hw4905/descrip.htm through http://www.mylabisquest.com. Accessed May 22 2009.

Sources Used in Previous Reviews

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases website information. Available online at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/stdgon.htm through http://www.niaid.nih.gov.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website information. Available online at http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm through http://www.cdc.gov.

Arnot Ogden Medical Center website information. Available online at http://www.aomc.org/Gonorrhea.html through http://www.aomc.org.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transitted diseases treatment guidelines 2002. MMWR 2002;51 (No. RR-6) [32-41].