ABSTRACT
Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection. The causative pathogen, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is a gonococcus bacterium of which there are four types: T1, T2, T3 and T4, each producing colonies of different size, shape and colour in laboratory culture. Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a gram-negative intracellular diplococcus 0.6 pm to 1.0 pm in diameter, oval to circular in shape, usually seen in pairs with flattened sides at the area of contact. It is often present in polymorphonuclear leucocytes of the gonorrhoea pustular exudate. Rectal gonorrhoea infection in females is sometimes due to infected vaginal discharge coming into contact with the rectum; alternatively, anal intercourse with an infected male maybe the cause. Pharyngeal and rectal gonorrhoea should be treated similarly. If patients with gonococcal infection have a suspected co-infection of chlamydial urethritis, they should be treated with a single dose of azithromycin 1 g oral tablet.
