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Gonococcal pharyngitis – this is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat, provoked by the pathogens of gonorrhea (gonococci). The disease can occur both in isolation and combined with lesions of the urogenital tract. If an infection occurs, then not only the throat will be infected, but also the tonsils, tongue, gums, palatine arches and uvula.
The danger of gonococcal pharyngitis lies in the fact that it often occurs with a minimal set of symptoms, which means that a person may not be aware that he has a disease. This causes a large number of people to become infected and the infection to spread widely. If more than 2 months have passed since the infection, the disease becomes chronic.
Causes of gonococcal pharyngitis
The causes of gonococcal pharyngitis are obvious – this is infection of the mucous membrane of the throat and oral cavity with gonorrhea pathogens (gonococci). Infection occurs sexually during unprotected sexual contact.
Gonococcal pharyngitis refers to receptive pharyngitis, as the infection is transmitted during genital-oral or oral-anal intercourse.
Symptoms of gonococcal pharyngitis
Symptoms of gonococcal pharyngitis are often completely absent, and the disease can be detected only after receiving the results of a bacteriological study.
Occasionally, an infected person may be disturbed by the following manifestations of the disease:
Dryness and soreness in the throat.
Sore throat when swallowing food.
Pain in the throat.
During the examination of the throat, you can see its hyperemic and edematous mucous membrane.
Some areas of the throat may be covered with a yellowish-gray coating.
Since gonococci affect the lymphatic system, with a long course of the disease, an increase in the cervical and submandibular lymph nodes is observed. During palpation they are painful.
On the tonsils and on the back of the throat, single enlarged bright red follicles can be visualized.
For a long time, a person may have subfebrile body temperature.
In some cases, hoarseness of voice is noted.
An unpleasant odor often comes from the patient’s mouth. It cannot be eliminated even with careful oral hygiene.
Not only the back wall of the throat becomes edematous, but also the tonsils, tongue, soft palate, and gums. The gums often bleed, soften, and show signs of gingivitis.
During an exacerbation of the disease, weakness, malaise increase, and the general well-being of a person worsens. The acute stage occurs at the end of the incubation period, which is less than a week.
Symptoms of chronic gonococcal pharyngitis are a persistent cough and dysphagia (swallowing disorders).
Diagnosis of gonococcal pharyngitis
Diagnosis of gonococcal pharyngitis solely on the basis of the symptoms of the disease is impossible. Conducting pharyngoscopy in the office of an otolaryngologist will only allow suspecting an inflammatory process in the throat. To determine the type of causative agent of infection, it is necessary to conduct a bacterial study.
Upon confirmation of pharyngitis of a gonococcal nature, the patient is sent for a consultation with a venereologist. Without fail, a smear is taken from the urogenital tract, after which complex treatment is carried out.
Treatment of gonococcal pharyngitis
Treatment of gonococcal pharyngitis should be carried out exclusively by a doctor. Gonorrhea is a serious disease that can provoke multiple complications. Therefore, patients with such a diagnosis undergo therapy in the offices of venereologists, urologists and gynecologists.
Personal hygiene rules must be strictly observed. Wash your hands thoroughly after every visit to the toilet. Personal hygiene items and utensils for a person with gonococcal pharyngitis should be individual.
For the period of treatment, you should stop drinking alcohol and smoking. It is forbidden to visit swimming pools, saunas, baths.
Taking systemic antibiotic therapy is a prerequisite for the treatment of gonococcal pharyngitis. Prescribe drugs such as: Ceftriaxone, Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Cefixime, Spectinomycin. If taking these drugs is not possible, then they are replaced with Ofloxacin, Amoxicillin, Trimethoprim.
In the case when a mixed infection is detected, the therapeutic regimen is adjusted depending on the type of inflammatory pathogens identified.
Local treatment allows you to quickly get rid of gonococcal pharyngitis. To do this, the patient needs to gargle with a 2% solution of Protargol, infusion of chamomile and sage, irrigate with Miramistin. Antiseptics such as Gibitan, Tsidipol are effective in terms of local control of gonococci. Chlorhexidine.
Physiotherapy is recommended to take place if there is no acute inflammatory process. These can be procedures such as UV, UHF, electrophoresis, laser therapy, magnetotherapy.
To improve immunity after treatment of the acute phase of gonococcal pharyngitis, it is possible to undergo immunotherapy. Specific immunotherapy involves the introduction of Gonovaccine, and non-specific administration of drugs such as Glycyram, Prodigiosan, Pyrogenal, etc.
After completion of antibiotic therapy, it is necessary to take probiotics to normalize the intestinal microflora.
During the entire period of treatment, the patient is under the control of specialists. After completion of the therapeutic course, it is obligatory to retake a smear from the pharynx and from the urogenital tract for a control bacteriological examination. It is worth considering that immunity to the disease is not developed and if preventive measures are not followed, the chance of re-infection remains.