Gonorrhea is a disease transmitted through?

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2019

Explanation

Gonorrhea is a classic sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
The primary and predominant mode of transmission is through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected person.
The infection spreads via contact with infected mucous membranes of the genital tract, rectum, or pharynx.
It can also be transmitted vertically from an infected mother to her baby during delivery, leading to a condition called ophthalmia neonatorum (gonococcal conjunctivitis).

Option A: Gonorrhea is not a foodborne illness. Transmission through food or water is characteristic of gastrointestinal infections caused by pathogens like E. coli, Salmonella, or Hepatitis A.
Option B: Gonorrhea is not primarily a blood-borne pathogen. While disseminated gonococcal infection can lead to bacteria in the blood (bacteremia), this is a complication, not the standard mode of transmission from person to person.
Option C: Similar to a needle prick, blood transfusion is not a recognized route of transmission for Gonorrhea. The bacterium does not survive well in stored blood, and screening protocols for blood donations are not designed to detect it.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Mode of transmission for Gonorrhea helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses play a crucial role in patient education regarding safe sex practices, such as consistent condom use, to prevent the spread of Gonorrhea and other STIs.
Prompt identification, testing, and treatment are essential to prevent serious complications like Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), infertility, and ectopic pregnancy in women.
Partner notification and treatment are critical public health strategies to break the chain of transmission and prevent reinfection.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key term in the question, which is 'Gonorrhea'.
Access your foundational knowledge about common infectious diseases. Recall that Gonorrhea is one of the most well-known sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Analyze the options provided, which represent different modes of disease transmission.
'Food' points to the fecal-oral route. 'Needle prick' and 'Blood transfusion' point to blood-borne routes. 'Sexually' points to the STI route.
Match the disease (Gonorrhea) with its correct transmission category (STI). This directly leads to selecting 'Sexually' as the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Davidson Principles Practice 24e pp. 359-361, 352-354

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 1137-1139

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