Gonococcal pharyngitis
Gonococcal pharyngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat, provoked by the causative agents of gonorrhea (gonococci). The disease can occur both in isolation and in combination with damage to the urogenital tract. If an infection occurs, then not only the throat will be infected, but also the tonsils, tongue, gums, palatine arch and uvula.
The danger of gonococcal pharyngitis lies in the fact that it often proceeds with a minimal set of symptoms, which means that a person may not be aware of the presence of the disease. This becomes the cause of infection of a large number of people and widespread infection. If more than 2 months have passed since the moment of infection, then the disease becomes chronic.
Content:
- Causes of gonococcal pharyngitis
- Symptoms of gonococcal pharyngitis
- Diagnostics of the gonococcal pharyngitis
- Treatment of gonococcal pharyngitis
Causes of gonococcal pharyngitis
The causes of gonococcal pharyngitis are obvious - it is infection of the mucous membrane of the throat and mouth with gonorrhea pathogens (gonococci). Infection occurs through sexual contact during unprotected sex.
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 obtaining the results of bacteriological research.
Occasionally, an infected person may be disturbed by the following manifestations of the disease:
- Dry and sore throat.
- Sore throat when swallowing food.
- Sore throat.
- During 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 prolonged 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 a subfebrile body temperature.
- In some cases, hoarseness of the 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 of the throat becomes swollen, but also the tonsils, uvula, soft palate, gums. The gums often bleed, soften, and there are signs of gingivitis.
- During an exacerbation of the disease, weakness, malaise increases, 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.
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The symptoms of chronic gonococcal pharyngitis are persistent cough and dysphagia (swallowing disorders).
Diagnostics of the gonococcal pharyngitis
Diagnosis of gonococcal pharyngitis solely by the symptoms of the disease is impossible. Pharyngoscopy in the otolaryngologist's office will only allow you to suspect an inflammatory process in the throat. To determine the type of infectious agent, a bacterial test is necessary.
When pharyngitis of a gonococcal nature is confirmed, the patient is sent for a consultation with a venereologist. A smear is taken from the urogenital tract without fail, 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 condition that can cause multiple complications. Therefore, patients with such a diagnosis undergo therapy in the offices of venereologists, urologists and gynecologists.
Personal hygiene rules must be followed strictly. Hands should be washed thoroughly after each visit to the toilet. Personal hygiene items and dishes for a person with gonococcal pharyngitis should be individual.
For the period of treatment, you should stop drinking alcohol, smoking. It is forbidden to visit swimming pools, saunas, baths.
Reception of 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 event that 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 UFO, UHF, electrophoresis, laser therapy, magnetotherapy.
To increase immunity after treatment of the acute phase of gonococcal pharyngitis, it is possible to undergo immunotherapy. Specific immunotherapy involves the administration of the Gonovaccine, and non-specific administration of drugs such as Glycyram, Prodigiosan, Pirogenal, etc.
After the completion of antibiotic therapy, it is necessary to take probiotics to normalize the intestinal microflora.
Throughout the entire time of treatment, the patient is monitored by specialists. After the completion of the therapeutic course, a repeated sampling of a smear from the pharynx and from the urogenital tract is required for a control bacteriological study. 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.
The author of the article: Lazarev Oleg Vladimirovich | ENT
Education: In 2009, he received a diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" at the Petrozavodsk State University. After completing an internship at the Murmansk Regional Clinical Hospital, he received a diploma in Otorhinolaryngology (2010)
