What is gonococcal urethritis?
Gonococcal (gon-o-KOK-al) urethritis (u-re-THRI-tis), also called gonorrhea, is an infection of the urethra. The urethra is the tube where urine passes from the bladder to the outside of the body. Urine goes out of the penis in men, while it exits the urethral opening above the vagina in women. The bladder is the hollow organ that holds urine. With gonococcal urethritis, there is inflammation (swelling) of the urethra causing problems in passing urine. Homosexual men, sexual workers, and those with many sexual partners are at a higher risk of having gonorrhea.
