Hospital Virtual Tour

Pharyngitis - gonococcal - Symptom

Alternative Names

Gonococcal pharyngitis

Symptoms:

Difficulty swallowing
Fever
Sore throat
Tender, swollen lymph nodes in the neck

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

Abnormal sense of taste
Headache
Joint stiffness
Muscle pain
Nasal congestion
Nasal discharge
Neck pain

Note: There may be no symptoms.

Signs and tests:

A throat swab culture is positive for gonococcus bacteria. Regular strep throat testing will not pick up gonorrhea. If you think you might have gonococcal pharyngitis, you should tell your health care provider. Telling your provider means they will ask for a special test to see if you have this disease.

Throat anatomy

Reviewed last on: 5/19/2008
Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Maternal & Child Health Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Update to CDC's sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006: fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2007;56:332-336.

Handsfield HH, Sparling PF. Neisseria gonorrhoeae. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, Berkley SF, Calandra T, Clumeck N, Finch RG, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA; Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2005: chap 209.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)