Does Gonorrhea Result In Conjunctivitis?

Posted on Tue, 7 Mar 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 7 Mar 2017 Answered on

Tue, 28 Mar 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi doctor. I had unprotected sex on friday night (3 nights ago now), and have just been contacted by the guy I had sex with that he feels a pain in his penis, and proceeded to ask me if I was clean. I have not had any symptoms of an STD, and I know they don't typically show up that soon. However, I was researching that Gonorrhea will show up as quick as 2 days after and also read that a symptom of gonorrhea is pink eye. Does pink eye actually go hand in hand with Gonorrhea because I have been getting symptoms.(which I just believed was pink eye and have been taking a different antibiotic for it). Also isn't it too soon for him to be experiencing symptoms?

Answered by Dr. Ramesh Kumar (22 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Its too early

Detailed Answer:
HI Dear,
Thanks for the query,
No its not always necessary that Gonorrheal infection is associated with conjunctivitis.The golden rule of medical science is that there is no rule.Following it its all symptoms of any disease are never there in one patient.
Yes its basically too early.The incubation period, the time from exposure to the bacteria until symptoms develop, is usually 5 to 10 days. But sometimes symptoms may not develop for up to 30 days. Gonorrhea may not cause symptoms until the infection has spread to other areas of the body.
A test for STD should be done atleast after 2 weeks.
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Kampana