Is it possible for gonorrhea to occur in infants? If so, how is it transmitted? Here is a complete explanation of gonorrhea in infants. Please read on, Mom!
What is Gonorrhea?
Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or gonococcal infection caused by bacteria called gonorrhea.Neisseria gonorrhoeae(N. gonorrhoeae). This disease can infect both men and women.
Gonorrhea most often affects the urethra, rectum or throat. In women, gonorrhea can also infect the cervix. It is most commonly spread through vaginal, oral or anal sex.
Causes and Risks of Contracting Gonorrhea
Those at risk of contracting gonorrhea are sexually active women under the age of 25. Also men who have sex with other men (same-sex relationships).
Other factors that may increase the risk include:
- Having a new sex partner
- Having a sex partner who has other partners
- Having more than one sexual partner
- Have had gonorrhea or another sexually transmitted infection
In the United States itself, according toHealthy Children, gonorrhea also often occurs in adolescents aged 15 to 19 years. Newborns can also be infected during childbirth, where transmission occurs through the mother who also has the bacteria.N. gonorrhoeae.
If it occurs in toddlers and children before puberty, the infection is generally transmitted as a result of sexual abuse experienced by the child – the perpetrator of sexual abuse is infected with this bacterial disease.
Gonorrhea Transmission Process in Babies
Gonorrhea bacteria are most often transmitted from one person to another during sexual contact, including oral, anal or vaginal intercourse.
In infants, gonorrhea infection in infants is susceptible to occur due to perinatal exposure to the mother’s infected cervix. After that, the bacteria manifest in the baby’s body 2-5 days after birth.
The prevalence of infection in the baby depends on the prevalence of infection in the mother as well. Has the mother been screened before, and has she been treated before and during pregnancy?
So it is better for women who have this bacterial infection and want to have children to do prenatal screening and treatment first. This is a form of effort to prevent the transmission of bacteria.N. gonorrhoeaefrom the mother to her future baby.
Symptoms of Gonorrhea in Babies
In many cases, gonorrhea infection does not cause symptoms. If there are, the symptoms do not only affect the genitals, but also affect many places in the sufferer’s body. Generally, those who often feel symptoms are male patients, while women are often asymptomatic.
Symptoms in the Genitals
Symptoms of gonorrhea in men include:
- Discharge of pus-like fluid from the tip of the penis
- Pain or soreness in the penis, as in one of the testicles
- There is a burning sensation when urinating
Signs and symptoms of gonorrhea infection in women include:
- Increased vaginal discharge
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Vaginal bleeding between periods, such as after sexual intercourse
- Abdominal or pelvic pain
- Discharge of yellow or bloody fluid from the vagina
When infection occurs in newborns , the most common sign is a severe eye infection.
Symptoms in Other Areas of the Body
Meanwhile, gonorrhea symptoms can also affect the following parts of the body, as reported byMayo Clinic:
- Signs and symptoms include anal itching, pus-like discharge from the rectum, bright red blood spots on toilet tissue and having to strain during a bowel movement.
- Gonorrhea affecting the eyes can cause eye pain, sensitivity to light, and a pus-like discharge from one or both eyes.
- Signs and symptoms of a throat infection may include a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
- If one or more joints become infected by bacteria (septic arthritis), the affected joints may feel warm, red, swollen and very painful, especially when moving.
Complications of Gonorrhea
Manifestations of infectionN. gonorrhoeaethe most severe in infants are ophthalmia neonatorum and sepsis, which can include arthritis and meningitis. While less serious manifestations include rhinitis, vaginitis, urethritis, and scalp infections at the site of previous fetal monitoring.
Ophtalmia Neonatorum is also called conjunctival inflammation. The conjunctiva is a clear membrane that covers the nipple of the eye. And if the membrane is inflamed, it can cause perforation (hole) of the eyeball and blindness in babies.
Even though women sometimes do not experience any symptoms, they are still at risk of complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).pelvic inflammatory disease/PID), which affects the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes and can cause scarring of the tubes, infertility or ectopic pregnancy.
And in men, the most common complication is called epididymitis, which is an inflammation of the coiled tube that runs along the back of the testicle where the sperm ducts are located (epididymis). If left untreated, epididymitis can lead to infertility.
Other Complications
- The bacteria that cause gonorrhea can also spread through the bloodstream and infect other parts of the body, including the joints. Fever, rash, skin sores, joint pain, swelling and stiffness are possible symptoms.
- Gonorrhea makes sufferers susceptible to infection.human immunodeficiency virus(HIV) , the virus that causes AIDS.
Diagnosis of Gonorrhea in Infants
A number of laboratory tests, according toHealthy Children,can be done to diagnose gonorrhea by a pediatrician. These laboratory tests include:
- A sample of fluid from the mother’s cervix or the child’s penis (and the father’s) and tested in a laboratory.
- Urine tests can also be performed on the mother and baby.
- Eye fluid test if the newborn has discharge from the eyes. Examination using microscopy and culture.
When gonorrhea is diagnosed, the patient should be tested for other STIs such as syphilis, HIV, chlamydia infection, or hepatitis B. In fact, gonorrhea and chlamydia infections often occur at the same time. Not only the mother and baby, but also the sexual partner of the infected person (in this case the baby’s father) should be tested for STIs.
When to Call a Pediatrician?
If your newborn has eye discharge, see your pediatrician right away. Gonorrhea has symptoms similar to other STIs, so an accurate diagnosis is essential.
Likewise, if you experience signs or symptoms as described above, immediately have yourself checked by a dermatologist and venereologist.
Gonorrhea Treatment and Medication in Babies
Gonorrhea can be treated with antibiotics such as a single high-dose oral medication called a cephalosporin or fluoroquinolone or a single injection of ceftriaxone.
Here are the doses recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
DrugCeftriaxone25-50 mg/kg body weight IV or IM in a single dose, not to exceed 250 mg.
One doseCeftriaxoneis adequate therapy for cases of gonococcal ophthalmia.Ceftriaxoneshould also be given with caution to infants with hyperbilirubinemia, especially those born prematurely.
Cefotaxime100 mg/kg body weight IV or IM as a single dose may be given to neonates who cannot receiveCeftriaxonedue to simultaneous IV calcium administration.
Prevention of Gonorrhea in Infants
To prevent or reduce the risk of transmitting gonorrhea to your baby, you should also take these steps:
- Use condoms during sex. Abstinence from sex is the surest way to prevent gonorrhea. However, if you choose to have sex, use a condom during all types of sexual contact, including anal sex, oral sex, or vaginal sex.
- Limit your number of sexual partners. Being in a monogamous relationship where neither partner has sex with other people can lower your risk.
- Make sure you and your partner get tested for sexually transmitted infections.
- Do not have sex with anyone who appears to have symptoms such as burning when urinating or a genital rash or sores.
- Consider regular gonorrhea screening. Annual screening is recommended for sexually active women under age 25 and for older women at increased risk for infection.
- Undergoing treatment during pregnancy, especially in the first 3 months of pregnancy, the third trimester, and when giving birth.
- Routine screening is also recommended for men who have sex with men, as well as their partners.
- Immediately after birth, babies are routinely given tetracycline or erythromycin ointment in their eyes to protect them from gonorrhea infection.
The doctor who cares for the mother and newborn must communicate to ensure follow-up of the results of the laboratory tests performed during labor. If positive, immediately provide appropriate treatment for the newborn and mother.
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Thus, Mom, a complete explanation of gonorrhea in babies. Hopefully this article is useful.
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
