How dangerous or how deadly is gonorrhea?

 
Gonorrhoea is a bacterial infection. It spreads by vaginal, anal and oral sex. It can also be passed from mother to child during childbirth. Gonorrhoea can be asymptomatic for several weeks during which the individual is infective. Symptoms of gonorrhoea are fever with burning urination and penile discharge in males. Females present with vaginal irritation, pain, vaginal discharge, pain during sexual intercourse and lower abdominal pain. Untreated gonorrhoea can cause systemic symptoms including affliction of the joints and heart valves. Gonorrhoea needs treatment with appropriate antibiotics, which need to be determined by testing. The bacterium can be resistant to several antibiotics and longer periods of treatment with higher dosages of antibiotics may be needed. Individuals remain infective during the period of treatment and their current as well as past sexual partners will also require treatment.