ABSTRACT
Urethral discharge in men is the typical presentation of urethritis. The term urethritis is usually reserved for sexually transmitted diseases. Gonorrhoea is an infection of the mucous membrane surfaces caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The organism is a highly infectious gram negative diplococcus, commonly referred to as the gonococcus. Gonococcal infections are approximately one and a half times more common in men. As with other sexually transmitted diseases the frequency is highest in adolescents and young adults. Symptoms of urethral discharge, discomfort and dysuria due to urethritis occur in most men with gonorrhoea, although the severity of these symptoms varies. A urethral discharge may not be clinically evident and 'milking' or 'stripping' the penis may be necessary to obtain a suitable urethral specimen. A significant emerging problem with the treatment of gonorrhoea is antibiotic resistance. Penicillin, tetracycline and quinolone resistance is becoming common. Patients with non-gonococcal urethritis have a longer incubation period compared with patients with gonorrhoea.
