Oropharyngeal Gonorrhea: A Diagnosis to be Considered

Abstract

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) with multiple clinical presentations. This is a case report about a young man with gonococcal pharyngitis. A 27-year-old male seeks medical attention because of three days of symptoms compatible with pharyngitis, having already been medicated with ibuprofen, 600 mg, twice a day, with no improvement. The patient was worried with the possibility of this being an STD because his boyfriend had been diagnosed with a urinary tract infection the day before. Culture of pharyngeal swab was requested, which confirmed the diagnosis of pharyngeal gonorrhea. Diagnosis of pharyngeal gonorrhea demands a high level of clinical suspicion, which arises during the clinical interview. Guidance on situations like this should be comprehensive, providing not only treatment but also counseling on how to stop ongoing transmission.