A COMMON STI is on the rise in Ireland, and people are being urged to keep an eye out for the symptoms.
The country has seen a notable rise in oral gonorrhoea cases recently.
This is similar to genital gonorrhoea, but in a different location.
Gonorrhoea is a highly contagious bacterial sexually transmitted infection that can be spread by vaginal, oral or anal contact.
It is one of the fastest growing STIs in Ireland, and while most people have no symptoms, it can lead to health complications.
Health complications include fertility issues in men and women, so it’s important to know the signs.
The Moncrieff show on Newstalk spoke to sexual health specialist Dr Aisling Loy, who explained the difference between oral and genital gonorrhoea.
She said: “The only difference is the location.
“It’s the same disease, the same bacteria, it’s just location.
“When we do standard STI testing, generally, in heterosexuals, we tend to not look in the throat – unless there’s a very good reason.
“We tend just to do for gentlemen, a urine test and for females, a vaginal swab.”
Research showed that 2 per cent of 7,000 people tested with STI kits, including for oral gonorrhoea, had the STI that wouldn’t have been picked up in a standard test.
She said: “About 140 people were going around with an STI in their throats that wouldn’t have realised it. This is in the young population, you wouldn’t see as many in the old population – it tends to be under 25s.”
When it affects the throat, it can also be called pharyngeal gonorrhoea.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of the STI in the mouth and throat include:
- Sore throat
- Burning sensation in the throat
- Swollen glands
- White spots in the mouth
You are at risk of contracting the STI if you are a sexually active person having unprotected sex.
It can also be picked up from oral sex and sex toys.
HEALTH ISSUES
If left untreated, it can lead to health issues including:
- Disseminated gonococcal infection – where the infection spreads in the body and may cause pain in the joints or a rash.
- Heart infection
- Transmitted to other sex partners
A proper diagnosis involves lab tests, and you will get treatment through antibiotics.
These will usually be done via injection into the thigh or buttocks.
But it is also becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, so it’s important to get tested regularly, get the right medicine and have a test of cure two weeks after completing treatment.
CAN IT BE CONTRACTED THROUGH KISSING?
The safest way to avoid contracting the STI is to not have oral, anal or vaginal sex.
But if you are sexually active, it’s recommended to practice safe sex.
This can be done using barrier contraceptives like condoms or dental dams correctly during oral, anal or vaginal sex.
Dr. Loy added there is “limited evidence” that it can be contracted through kissing.
She said: “This is largely modelling work done out of Melbourne, Australia in 2017.
“They show that, yes, you can [get it] from deep kissing – French kissing – and all of that.
“It’s rare, but it’s possible and it lives in saliva for a short period of time.”
The HSE offers free at-home STI tests for those aged 17 and over around Ireland.
