Which bacterium causes gonorrhea, the sexually transmitted infection first described in ancient medical texts?

Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, the sexually transmitted infection first described in ancient medical texts.

N. gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative diplococcus, meaning its cells commonly appear as paired rounded bacteria. It primarily infects mucous membranes of the genital tract, rectum, throat, and eyes. Transmission occurs through sexual contact, and an infected pregnant person can pass the bacterium to a newborn during childbirth.

The organism was identified by Albert Neisser in 1879, and the genus Neisseria bears his name. Gonorrhea can produce painful urination and discharge, but many infections cause few or no symptoms, especially in some anatomical sites. Untreated infection can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, or disseminated infection.

A major modern concern is antimicrobial resistance. N. gonorrhoeae has acquired resistance to several antibiotic classes, so treatment recommendations change as surveillance data change. Gonorrhea is not syphilis: syphilis is caused by the spiral bacterium Treponema pallidum.