Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection you can get in your penis, vagina or front-hole, bum, throat and eyes.
You can get gonorrhoea from vaginal or front hole sex, anal sex, oral sex and rimming bums. Using fingers or hands in the vagina or front hole or bum can also pass on gonorrhoea.
Gonorrhoea can be passed on to babies during the birth. It can affect their eyes and cause a serious infection. If this happens, it can be treated with antibiotics.
There can be no symptoms, especially if the infection is in your bum, throat or vagina or front-hole.
The common symptoms are:
These symptoms usually take between 2 and 10 days to show up after being infected.
A doctor can test for gonorrhoea with a urine (pee) test and swabs of the throat, vagina or front hole and bum.
Gonorrhoea is treated with antibiotics (drugs that kill certain germs). You should not have sex until 7 days after you have finished your antibiotics, and you should tell your previous sexual partners so they can get tested too. This protects your sexual partner(s) and also prevents you becoming re-infected.
Using condoms and lube reduces the risk of getting or passing on chlamydia, but you can still get it or pass it on even when you use condoms. So getting tested regularly is really important.
We acknowledge and pay respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work.
Vaccination can prevent mpox and is available for anyone at high risk of infection. This includes men who have sex with men, sex workers, health workers and anyone who may be in contact with a person infected with mpox. Please contact your nearest ACCHO or Sexual Health clinic for advice. See factsheet for more information.
