Urethral Smear - Gonorrhea:
Why Urethral Gonorrhea Test?
CLINICAL INFORMATION
Gonorrhea (also called the clap) is caused by the bacteria Neisseria gonorrhea.A urethral gonorrheal test is indicated in patients suspected of urethral discharge for STD. Test on urethral sample specimen is performed to screen check for the diagnosis (presence) of gonorrhea (STD – Sexually Transmitted Disease). Untreated chronic gonorrheal infection can cause complications in both sexes such as infertility, blindness, complications in pregnancy (eg. ectopic pregnancy), life-threatening disseminated gonorrheal infection etc. Gonorrhea can be transmitted from an infected person and it can occur in various sites in both sexes including the urethra, anal region, pharyngeal (throat) i.eoropharyngeal gonorrhea, penile urethra (males), vagina and cervix (in female-like a pelvic inflammatory disease) etc. This disease can also be spread from a pregnant woman to her child in the fetus (vertical transmission). Clinical manifestations in women with gonorrhea include signs and symptoms of vaginal discharge, burning micturition, bleeding or spotting between periods (bleeding between periods), pelvic soreness, pain during copulation, swollen lymph nodes (especially around the neck) etc. While in men the signs and symptoms include white, yellow or green discharge, burning micturition, painful and/or swollen testicles, epididymitis etc. Sudden dizziness or fainting also known as vasovagal syncope and urethritis are also common findings in people infected with gonorrhea. Since an infected person with one STD is at risk of having another too. Thus this STD test may be performed along with other tests such as Chlamydia, Hepatitis – B, HIV, Syphilis, HPV, Trichomonas, Herpes simplex Virus etc. Additional tests include gram stain, gonococcal culture, sensitivity studies (antibiotic resistance), gonorrhea DNA probe test, NAAT etc. Other tests include leukocyte esterase (LE test is also performed for Gonorrhea – STD infection) test, Ligase chain reaction etc.
General Instructions:
Sample Requirement: Specimen - Urethral Swab Sample. Test Preparation: None.
NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presenting complaints/signs or symptoms:
SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.
This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory RT DIAGNOSTICS provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centres to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.
