Positive Gonorrhea Test

[Mike217]

Dr.
I am a 31 year old straight male. I've had 2 partners in the last year, both exclusive relationships. I've been having sexual relations with the current girlfriend since October of 2012. Stopped relations with previous one in May of '12.

After having sex with my current girlfriend on Saturday, I noticed irritation during urinating. I was concerned and got an STD screen at the county clinic that came back likely positive for gonorrhea. The clinic gave me 2 pink pills (Azithromycin) and a shot (Ceftriaxone). The nurse seemed in a hurry so I couldn't think of some questions as I was pretty shocked at results.
1.) She said the 2 pills and the shot should be enough to clear up the gonorrhea, is that your opinion, or should I have gotten a RX?
2.) My girlfriend claims to have been faithful, is it possible that she could have transmitted this to me from one of her previous partners and shown no signs?
3.) Is it possible that I could be the source of it from my previous girlfriend?...previous one and I have not had relations since May of 2012.
Thank you in advance for your time.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll be happy tp comment.

1.  The therapy you received is the recommended, "gold standard" therapy for gonorrhea.

2.  Yes, persons can gonorrhea without symptoms and then develop symptoms at a later date or even never develop symptoms at all.

3.  Yes, both men and women can have asymptomatic gonorrhea.  You may never know who carried the infection into the relationship.  The important thing is that you have both been treated.  It would also be good for each of you to suggest that your prior partners be checked and treated as well.

I hope these comments are helpful.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your GF should go to another clinic. Her doctor did not treat her as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.  Even with negative tests (which is not uncommon) you should both be treated for gonorrhea and should not have sex in between the time one of you is treated and when the otehr is treated.  

You are correct, you could end up passing things back and forth between the two of you.  (and kissing is OK, even if you have not been both treated)

The swab is slightly more sensitive than the urine test.  EWH

[Mike217]

Her doctor gave her no treatment as a result of her negative tests, I'm nervous even if mine end up coming back negative or if it was just gonorreah and the treatment given to me did in fact clear it up as I worry that it may be in her now (somehow eluding detection-if that's possible?) is there a reason why her doctor would not give her the treatment? I'm abstaining from any sexual contact with her until my official lab results come back in a week (we do kiss but that's all-hoping that's ok). I'm scared that it could be in her and we could just end up passing it back and forth, her doctor doesn't seem to think so. What am I missing?

[Mike217]

So my current girlfriend's test for gonorreah and Chlymedia came back negative from her doctor's office. Mine are still a week from coming back as I went to a health clinic. She and I have been having unprotected sex since October, to me it seems odd (but a blessing) that hers has come back negative and my preliminary one positive. Is this a common thing? Which test (for males) is more accurate between the swab in the penis (what the clinic gave me), or the urine test (which I have not had)?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, the azithromycin is recommended both because it has some activity but also because it represents recommended therapy for chlamydial infection.  Further, I suspect you were tested for chlamydia at the same time you were tested for gonorrhea- just as the therapy goes hand in hand, so does the testing.  EWH

[Mike217]

Sorry should read, "chlamydia" thanks in advance.

[Mike217]

Follow up question; are the aforementioned drugs, Azithromycin and Ceftriaxone affective in treating Chlymedia as well? I read last night that the 2 STDs usually go hand in hand but the health clinic mentioned nothing of this.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'd wait for at least 10-14 days for follow-up testing.  The azithromycin (pink pills ) will be in your system for about a week.

In persons with asymptomatic gonorrhea the time to development of symptoms, if they develop at all, can be quite variable but can take months. EWH

[Mike217]

Thank you Dr. Hook. I guess a follow up would be is 2 to 5 days the normal time in which signs develop after exposure? I assume from your answer to my second question that long time six to seven months after exposure symptoms are possible.