GONORRHOEA AND

SYPHILIS

Epidemiology and Etiology

The gram-negative diplococcus N. gonorrhoeae is the causative organism of gonorrhea.
Although the rate of reported cases in the United States has remained relatively stable over the
past decade, over 300,000 cases were reported in 2010. However, because of the increasing
incidence of resistance to available antibiotics, there is concern that this number may
dramatically increase in the future. Of concern also are the substantial number of infections that
remain undiagnosed and unreported. Humans are the only known natural host of this
intracellular parasite. Because of its rapid incubation period and the large number of infected
individuals with asymptomatic disease, gonorrhea is difficult to control. Although the risk of a
female acquiring a cervical infection after a single episode of vaginal intercourse with an
infected male partner is high and increases with multiple exposures, the risk of transmission
from an infected female to an uninfected male is not as great following a single act of coitus.
No data are available on the risk of transmission after other types of sexual contact.