![]() ![]() Especially in public clinics where resources are scarce, doctors will typically only perform diagnostic tests for STD infections when there is a compelling reason to do so – i.e., symptoms that might raise a red flag.įor this reason, health advocacy groups like US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization recommend regular gonorrhea testing of all sexually active individuals regardless of the presence of symptoms. While gonorrhea infections located on or around the genitals or anus often come with tell-tale symptoms like itching, burning, and painful urination, infections of the mouth and throat are almost never accompanied by symptoms.ĭue to the nearly complete lack of symptoms in most cases, the biggest obstacle to diagnosing oral gonorrhea is the first step of ordering the test. The Importance of Identifying and Diagnosing Oral Gonorrhea Because of unique behavioral characteristics, asymptomatic sites of infection, mainly the pharynx, are principal drivers of gonorrhea prevalence in men who have sex with men. ![]() “The rate of gonorrhea is much higher in men who have sex with men than in heterosexuals. Indeed, the National Institutes of Health, in a 2017 study, found that oral gonorrhea in particular disproportionately affects the M2M community because of the types of sexual activities this group engages in: However, Oral Gonorrhea is not just restricted to the M2M community, a growing number of cases are also found in heterosexual female and male youths (15 to 21 years of age) especialy in countries like Britain, US, Australia and even China. The higher rates of promiscuity among the M2M populations compound dangers of the widely held myth in the safety of oral sex, rendering this group at a much higher risk of infection. This is not the case with oral gonorrhea. Many members of this community, more so than in the Thai population at large, mistakenly believe engaging in oral sex poses little or no risk to participants – or, that if there are risks, they are negligible and easily detected. Oral gonorrhea is a particular concern for Thailand because of the high numbers of M2M (male-to-male) sexual encounters relative to neighboring countries. ![]()
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