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STDs (Expert Forum)
Gonorrhea of the eye + other worries
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
Gonorrhea of the eye + other worries
by worried00700, Mar 30, 2009 02:48PM
Hi Dr.
I recently contracted gonorrhea of the throat from an oral sex encounter with a Transexual prostitute on the 11th March there was no ejaculation and it lasted for roughly 5 minutes. I went to the Dr on the 16 th for tests which came back postive for throat gonorrhea and negative for clamidia. I took the pills he gave me to clear up the infection on the 17th .But still have a bit of a tight feeling thorat and have heard throat gonorrea doesnt always clear up with first treatment.
I have two worries.
A friend of mine stayed over on Saturady night the 28th March and we shared a rolled up cigarette. In the morning he slept in the lounge on the floor and work up with an infected eye which has got worse over the last few days. My concern is that some saliva from the cigatte that i shared with him might have transmitted the gonorrhea to his finger which he then rubbed his eye with? Is this a posibility as i am very worried i will have to tell him about my current / past recent condition. He is also suffering from cold symptoms today. Or is it likely to be a common eye infection.
Second worry,
From the oral sex is there a chance of HIV transnmition. I had a slight ulcer at the time? I am going to get tested in the next week.
Sorry if this is a bit long winded but i am very concerned.
Thanks in advance.
I recently contracted gonorrhea of the throat from an oral sex encounter with a Transexual prostitute on the 11th March there was no ejaculation and it lasted for roughly 5 minutes. I went to the Dr on the 16 th for tests which came back postive for throat gonorrhea and negative for clamidia. I took the pills he gave me to clear up the infection on the 17th .But still have a bit of a tight feeling thorat and have heard throat gonorrea doesnt always clear up with first treatment.
I have two worries.
A friend of mine stayed over on Saturady night the 28th March and we shared a rolled up cigarette. In the morning he slept in the lounge on the floor and work up with an infected eye which has got worse over the last few days. My concern is that some saliva from the cigatte that i shared with him might have transmitted the gonorrhea to his finger which he then rubbed his eye with? Is this a posibility as i am very worried i will have to tell him about my current / past recent condition. He is also suffering from cold symptoms today. Or is it likely to be a common eye infection.
Second worry,
From the oral sex is there a chance of HIV transnmition. I had a slight ulcer at the time? I am going to get tested in the next week.
Sorry if this is a bit long winded but i am very concerned.
Thanks in advance.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Mar 30, 2009 03:49PM
, Mar 30, 2009 03:49PM
Welcome to the STD forum. I'll try to help. The bottom line is that you have no worries here about either the gonorrhea or HIV issue.
First, your tight throat is unrelated to any of this. You might have a garden variety virus, but gonorrhea of the throat almost always is entirely asymptomatic. The effectiveness of treatment is variable, and you don't say what antibiotic you received. But even without treatment, oral gonorrhea just about always goes away on its own in a few weeks.
Even if your treatment failed, it is not plausible that someone in your living area picked up ocular gonorrhea by sharing a cigarette, and anyway that would not cause the other cold symptoms he has. Even sexually acquired gonorrhea of the eye is extremely rare (I have seen exactly one case in my 30+ years in the STD business). You need not mention your gonorrhea or your sexual exposures to your friend.
The rough estimate of the risk of catching HIV by oral sex on an infected male has been calculated at 1 in 10,000. That's equivalent to giving a ** once a day to infected men for 27 years and maybe never catching it. I can't tell what you mean by "slight ulcer", but that probably doesn't make much difference.
You should make sure the doctor who treated you for gonorrhea knows your concerns about HIV, then follow his or her advice about testing. If testing will calm your nerves, go ahead and do it. A single test 6-12 weeks after the exposure is sufficient.
Regards-- HHH, MD
First, your tight throat is unrelated to any of this. You might have a garden variety virus, but gonorrhea of the throat almost always is entirely asymptomatic. The effectiveness of treatment is variable, and you don't say what antibiotic you received. But even without treatment, oral gonorrhea just about always goes away on its own in a few weeks.
Even if your treatment failed, it is not plausible that someone in your living area picked up ocular gonorrhea by sharing a cigarette, and anyway that would not cause the other cold symptoms he has. Even sexually acquired gonorrhea of the eye is extremely rare (I have seen exactly one case in my 30+ years in the STD business). You need not mention your gonorrhea or your sexual exposures to your friend.
The rough estimate of the risk of catching HIV by oral sex on an infected male has been calculated at 1 in 10,000. That's equivalent to giving a ** once a day to infected men for 27 years and maybe never catching it. I can't tell what you mean by "slight ulcer", but that probably doesn't make much difference.
You should make sure the doctor who treated you for gonorrhea knows your concerns about HIV, then follow his or her advice about testing. If testing will calm your nerves, go ahead and do it. A single test 6-12 weeks after the exposure is sufficient.
Regards-- HHH, MD
