Gonorrhea Test
Test OverviewGonorrhea tests tell if a person has this disease. They look for the bacterium, or germ, that causes gonorrhea. Testing is done on
body fluid or urine samples. Gonorrhea is a
sexually transmitted infection. That means it is spread through sexual contact. It does not always cause symptoms. Tests used to find a gonorrhea infection include: - Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). NAATs
find the genetic material (DNA) of gonorrhea
germs. These tests are very accurate. They can be done
on urine samples or samples of body fluid from the area where the infection is suspected.
- Gonorrhea culture. This is a test to find the bacteria that cause a gonorrhea infection. A sample of body fluid from areas such as the cervix, urethra, eye, rectum, or throat is added to a substance that promotes the growth of the bacteria. If no bacteria grow, the culture is negative. If bacteria that can cause gonorrhea grow, the culture is positive. Sometimes other tests are done to find the right medicine for treating the infection. This is called sensitivity testing.
If a gonorrhea infection is suspected, don't have sex until the test results have come back. If the test shows that you have gonorrhea, don't have sex for 7 days after the start of
treatment. Your sex partner must also be treated for gonorrhea to
avoid passing the infection back to you or to others. If you have gonorrhea, all of your sex partners from the last 60 days
should be tested and treated. And you may need to have
tests for other sexually transmitted infections, including
HIV. Why It Is DoneTests for gonorrhea are done to: - See if a gonorrhea infection may be
causing symptoms such as painful urination, anal itching or bleeding, vaginal
bleeding after intercourse, or abnormal discharge from the penis or
vagina.
- Screen women who are
at high risk for a gonorrhea infection. Because gonorrhea does not
always cause symptoms, screening is important. The U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine gonorrhea
screening tests for:footnote 1
- All sexually active women ages 24 and younger.
- Women older than 24 who are at
higher risk for STIs.
- Pregnant women
who have an increased risk for a gonorrhea infection. Treating a pregnant woman who has gonorrhea can prevent an infection in her newborn.
- Check for infection in a newborn whose mother had
gonorrhea at the time of delivery.
In some cases, the test is done to see how well treatment is working. This isn't usually needed unless gonorrhea has occurred during pregnancy or a sex
partner was not treated. How To PrepareDo not urinate for 2 hours before a urine sample is collected. Women should not douche or use vaginal creams or
medicines for at least 24 hours before having a gonorrhea test. How It Is DoneDirect smearIn a direct smear, a sample of body
fluid is taken from the area where gonorrhea is suspected. In adults, this may include the
urethra, the cervix, the rectum, or the eye. - For a sample from the
cervix, you will take off your clothes below the waist and drape a
paper or cloth covering around your waist. You will then lie on your back on an
exam table with your feet raised and supported by stirrups. This allows
the doctor or nurse to examine your vagina and genital area. Your doctor or nurse will insert a special tool with curved sides (speculum) into your
vagina. The speculum gently spreads apart the vaginal walls so the inside of
the vagina and the cervix can be examined. Samples are collected from the
cervix with a swab or small brush.
- For a sample from the urethra or
rectum, your doctor or nurse will insert a swab into the opening of your
urethra or rectum.
- For a sample from your
eye, your doctor or nurse will gently brush the insides of your lower and
upper eyelids with a swab.
Urine testIf you have a urine test, do not urinate
for 2 hours before the test. Do not wipe the genital area clean before
you urinate. Collect the first part of your urine stream, just as you
begin to urinate. There are home test kits you can use to collect a swab or urine sample and bring it to the lab for testing. How It FeelsCollecting a sample of fluid from the
urethra, the anus, or the rectum may cause mild discomfort or pain. Collecting a sample from the cervix may cause mild discomfort. Most women
find that the procedure feels similar to a Pap test or pelvic examination. Some
women feel slight cramping while the speculum is inside the vagina. Collecting a sample from the eye is usually painless unless the eyelids
have sores on them. Collecting a urine sample does not normally
cause any discomfort. RisksThere is very little risk of serious
problems from having a sample of fluid collected from the cervix, the urethra, the
anus, the eye, or the throat. Women may have a small amount of bleeding from the vagina
if a sample is collected from the cervix. In rare cases, a person
may have sudden dizziness or fainting (called vasovagal syncope)
because of fear or pain when the swab is inserted into the urethra. There are no risks linked with collecting a urine sample. ResultsGonorrhea tests tell if a person has this disease. They look for the bacterium, or germ, that causes gonorrhea. Testing is done on
body fluid or urine samples. Gonorrhea test| Normal: | No signs of gonorrhea
bacteria are found. If a culture is done, no gonorrhea
bacteria grow in the culture. More testing for other sexually transmitted
infections may be needed to find the cause of any symptoms. |
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| Abnormal: | Signs of gonorrhea bacteria are found. If a culture is
done, gonorrhea bacteria grow in the culture. |
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What Affects the TestYou may not be able to have the test, or the results may not be helpful, if: - You urinate 2 hours or less before collecting a urine
sample.
- A sample from the rectum is contaminated with stool.
- You are a woman and you douche or use vaginal cream or spray within 24 hours before the
test.
- You take antibiotics before the test.
What To Think About- A gonorrhea culture may be done after a positive
nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) if your doctor or nurse is concerned that you may have
antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea.
- In the United States, your doctor or nurse must report to the
state health department that you have gonorrhea.
To learn more about testing for sexually transmitted infections, see: ReferencesCitations- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2014). Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening: Final recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/chlamydia-and-gonorrhea-screening. Accessed October 14, 2014.
Other Works Consulted- Chernecky CC, Berger BJ (2013). Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures, 6th ed. St. Louis: Saunders.
- Fischbach FT, Dunning MB III, eds. (2009). Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests, 8th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerSarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerKevin C. Kiley, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology Current as ofMarch 20, 2017 Current as of:
March 20, 2017 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2014). Chlamydia and gonorrhea screening: Final recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/RecommendationStatementFinal/chlamydia-and-gonorrhea-screening. Accessed October 14, 2014. Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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