Pharyngitis - gonococcal

Alternative names

Gonococcal pharyngitis

Definition

Gonococcal pharyngitis is an infection of the throat involving the tonsils and the larynx (pharynx), caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Gonococcal pharyngitis is a sexually-transmitted disease. It is acquired through oral sex with an infected partner. The majority of throat infections caused by gonococci have no symptoms (asymptomatic).

When discomfort is present, it is generally mild. Symptoms involving the rest of the body are not normally present unless the person develops disseminated gonococcemia, a wide-spread infection of the bloodstream.

Untreated gonorrhea may spread to other parts of the body, causing inflammation of the testes or prostate in men or pelvic inflammatory disease in women.

Gonococci in the throat are present in 10 to 20% of women who have gonorrhea. In homosexual men with gonorrhea, pharyngeal (throat) infection is present in 10 to 25%. Risk factors include recent exposure to gonorrhea, sexual activity with multiple partners and performing oral sex.

Almost 360,000 cases of gonorrhea were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000. The incidence has remained steady for several years at 1 case per 1000 people.

Symptoms

• Sore throat
  
• Difficulty swallowing
  
• Fever
  
• Tender, swollen lymph nodes in the neck
  

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Neck pain
  
• Nasal discharge
  
• Nasal congestion
  
• Muscle pain
  
• Joint stiffness
  
• Headache
  
• Abnormal taste
  

Note: There may be no symptoms.

Signs and tests

A throat swab culture is positive for gonococcus. Note that standard strep throat testing will not pick up gonorrhea. If you think you might have gonococcal pharyngitis, you should tell your health care provider.

Treatment

There are two parts to successfully treating a sexually transmitted disease, especially one as easily spread as gonorrhea. The first is to cure the affected person. The second is to locate, test and treat all other sexual contacts to prevent further spread of the disease.