[Extragenital gonococcal infections. A review]

In many cases gonorrhea is overlooked and not treated due to an unusual course of the disease. The longer this infection exists the greater is the danger of dissemination of the gonococci. Gonorrhea, if not diagnosed, may cause a series of local and general clinical manifestations, such as: the dermatitis-arthritis syndrome whose pathogenesis is not yet completely clarified: the Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome which is often seen in females with chronic gonococcal adnexitis;gonococcal pharyngitis which nowadays occurs more often due to less conventional sexual practices of contemporary society; gonococcal conjunctivitis which represents the best known extragenital gonococcosis. This paper deals with the clinical manifestations and their treatment.