Claim: An X user posted an image of a lady with a swollen eye purportedly infected with Gonorrhea.
Verdict: True! Gonorrhoea can infect the eyes when it comes in contact with an infected genital discharge containing gonorrhoea bacteria.
Full Text
A social media user on X who identified as a medical doctor from Ghana posted a picture of a lady’s swollen face who was diagnosed with gonorrhoea in the eyes.
The infection was reportedly a result of semen discharge on a lady’s face during sexual intercourse with an infected male.
Certain reactions under the post validate the post, while others show disbelief.
A user, @samuel_sesah, commented, “Gonococcal Conjunctivitis. The funny part is he will probably be lying all throughout the case history, saying she woke up with it.”
Another user, @iamMELMAK, asked, “Gonorrhea in the eye?”
A comment by @menp3gyimie also inquired, “How is this possible, Doc?”
As of the time of this report, the post has garnered 4.2 million views, 14,000 likes, 4,228 reposts, 1,517 quotes, and 2,742 bookmarks.
The varied reactions elicited by the post prompted DUBAWA to fact-check the veracity of the information.
Verification
Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection. Available studies show that Gonorrhea usually infects the reproductive organs of both men and women. However, it can also infect the eyes, mouth, throat and rectum. It is usually transmitted during sexual intercourse, either through vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 82.4 million new gonorrhoea infections among adults globally were recorded in 2020.
Gonorrhea can infect the eyes when an infected genital comes in contact with the eyes. This is called Gonococcal Conjunctivitis.
According to the National Library of Medicine, Gonococcal Conjunctivitis is an infection transmitted by contact of the eyes with infected genital secretions from a person with genital gonorrhoea infection. While it is curable, it can lead to adverse health conditions like meningitis or outright blindness if left untreated.
DUBAWA contacted Dr Tavershima Adongo, a public health and policy expert, to determine whether gonorrhoea can infect the eyes. Mr Adongo noted that the condition where gonorrhoea spreads to the eyes is called Gonococcal Conjunctivitis.
“Indeed, gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection(STI), can infect the eyes, resulting in a condition called gonorrhoea conjunctivitis in adults. This happens when a person’s eyes come in contact with genital (vaginal or penile) secretions from either themselves or their sexual partner that is infected.”
We also consulted a medical doctor at International SOS., Jeffrey Ajoko. Mr Ajoko reiterated that Gonorrhea is commonly manifested on the genitals. Still, it can also infect other parts of the body, like the eyes, if they come in contact with infected semen.
“Usually, Gonorrhea is transmitted through penetrative sex, and the common manifestation is in the genitals. However, it can manifest in other parts of the body if they come in contact with the secretion from the infected genital.”
Conclusion
Available studies and contributions from medical experts revealed that gonorrhoea could infect the eyes when it comes in contact with the secretion from the infected genitalia.
This fact-check was produced as part of the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship in partnership with Dataphyte to facilitate the ethos of “truth” in Journalism and enhance media and information literacy in the country.