Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Gonorrhea

Definition

Gonorrhea is a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. The genitourinary tract is the main system that is usually affected, but gonorrhea can also spread to the rectum, the throat, and the eyes. Left untreated, gonorrhea can spread through the bloodstream and infect the brain, heart valves, joints, and the reproductive system. Exposure to an infected mother during birth may cause permanent blindness in the newborn.

Description

Gonorrhea, commonly referred to as "the clap," is the most prevalent reportable disease in the United States. Adolescents and young adults are in the highest risk category, with more than 80% of gonorrhea cases affecting the 15–29 year-old age group. Individuals living in urban areas who have multiple sex partners have the highest risk of contracting the disease. Still, the incidence of gonorrhea has been...