Chronic infection of Gonorrhea?

[Bentner]

Dear Doctor Handsfield,

Dear Doctor Handsfield, I am a 39 years old  man and in 2005 I had sex with a woman, whom I didn't know the health situation at that time. The Only risky sex intercourse of my life. Penis - vagina was protected by a condom. Fellatio protected . But I foolishly practiced a cunnilingus unprotected . A few days later I started having some symptoms : uvula slightly reddened ( but no plaque and no difficulty  in swallowing ) . A feeling of swelling in the axillary lymph nodes and some pink spots on my chest. After a few weeks I started to get itchy in different parts of the body, joint pain in the arms and knees. And I began to have a strange feeling in the palms , as if I applauded a lot..I have undergone several blood tests and urine tests :
Test anti- HIV1 and 2  at 3 months, 6 months , 1 year, 2 years , all negative ;
Syphilis TPHA at 5 weeks, 3 months , 1 year, 2 years negative .
Hepatitis viruses B and C, 6- month and 1- year negative .
Urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhea , negative .
The number of my WBC has always been normal and also IgG and IgM.
All the symptoms I mentioned before disappeared after a few months and I did not think anymore about it. I went on with my life. For ignorance I never thought that I could have acquired gonorrhea with a cunnilingus. But all those symptoms have recurred 2 months ago and at a distance of nine years from that sexual relation.
What do you think? Do you think I need to do some more tests for mst? It could be a chronic infection of gonorrhea? Maybe I acquired it orally and it is disseminated in my body? I have read that these are the symptoms of a DGI..Recently I went to my doctor who did also a throat swab for Gonorrhea DNA probe test but it is negative. But I am worried that such a test cannot see if I have acquired gonorrhea and if I still have it after 9 years.

Thank you in advance.
Yours sincerely,

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This "theoretical" question does not fit the facts.  Gonococcal meningitis and endocarditis are rare, severe manifestations of DGI.  When they occur persons become life threateningly ill very quickly.  Please do not worry about the possibility of gonorrhea from your exposure nearly a decade ago.  EWH

[Bentner]

Thank you very much indeed for your answer, Doctor.
As a matter of fact, it is hard to believe that DGI can last almost 10 years or that can give symptoms few days or weeks after the exposure, then becomes silent for years and then give symptoms after 9 years. But you already told me that those are not at all symptoms related to DGI. OK.
But I would like to ask you another question since you are a specialist and with a lot of experience.
In theory, if gonorrhea doesn't go away without therapy and it is not treated, how long after the contagion may the bacteria cause serious damage to health as endocarditis and meningitis?
Thank you.
Sincerely

[Edward W Hook, MD]

They sypmtoms you describe are not at all suggestive of DGI.  As I said, there was almost no chance of infection to start with,  Most commercial sex workers do not have STIs and even when they do, aquistion of infection due to a man performing oral sex on a women is very, very unusual.  You should not worry.  EWH

[Bentner]

Thank you Doctor Hook.

I am worried that the infection didn't go away on its own because all of the symptoms I have and in the meantime I have developed a DGI and/or the infection is chronic.

Thank you.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help.  You should no longer be worried that you might have acquired gonorrhea from the exposure you mention nearly 10 years ago.  The risk for gonorrhea from the exposure you describe was very low and when people do get gonorrhea of the throat, it is typically asymptomatic and goes away over time without therapy.  If you had gonorrhea of the throat for all of this time, it would have been detected by your recent test as well.

There is simply no good reason for you to be concerned about gonorrhea.  I suggest you look for other reasons for your recent throat.  most such illnesses are caused by non-STD viruses and go away on their own.  If your symptoms persist, I suggest that you work with your doctor to look for other, non-gonorrhea causes of your symptoms.

there is no reason for concern, no reason for testing and no reason for treatment of gonorrhea.  Take care.  EWH