Gonorrhoea, if left untreated during pregnancy may lead to puerperal sepsis and ophthalmia neonatorum. The infection may co-exist with trichomonas vaginitis, vaginal thrush or syphilis. Symptoms in majority cases are minimal. Vaginal discharge may be the only symptom. Rarely, in acute case, local pain, discharge, frequency of urination are the symptoms. Signs – bartholin glands are palpated for enlargement; urethra is examined and milked downwards to squeeze out pus for bacteriological examination. Cervix is next examined under speculum. Cervical swab is also taken. Vaginal discharge is also examined for any associated infection.
Investigations: Detection of gonococci by smear and culture is diagnostic. Gonococcal complement fixation test becomes positive in cases where disease becomes a month old. Serum tests must also be done for syphilitic infection.
Treatment: Penicillin is specific for gonorrhoea. Two daily injections of 1.2 mega units of procaine penicillin are usually found to be very effective. Thereafter repeated bacteriological investigations must be negative to test the cure from the condition. All cases of gonorrhoea must be diagnosed early and fully treated before confinement. In every case, serological tests for syphilis has to be performed and be repeated 6-8 weeks later as both the infections may be acquired by the same exposure.
0 comments:
Post a Comment