[Question #3147] Incubation period

91 months ago

Dear Doctors,

the internet offers quite confounding data on the incubation period for male gonorrhea. Due to your extreme large experience: How would you estimate it?

Best regards! Thank you so much!

askerD

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

91 months ago

Welcome back, but sorry you found it necessary after Dr. Hook's reassuring advice over the past few days.

Incubation period refers to the time from acquiring gonorrhea (or any other infection) and onset of symptoms. It is not relevant to transmission risk or time to reliable testing. For urethral gonorrhea, the incubation period is very well established; in the large majority of cases, symptoms start 2-5 days after exposure. In other words, absence of symptoms after 5 days is strong evidence (althugh not proof) against gonorrhea.

There are no data on incubation period for other sites of infection, largely because so many infections of the cervix (women), rectum, and throat are asymptomatic. With no symptoms, there is no way to define incubation period. For oral gonorrhea (potentially relevant to your cunnilingus event), over 90% of infections remain asymptomatic.

Do your best to follow Dr. Hook's advice and move on without worry about your recent extramarital exposure. Good luck and happy new year.

HHH, MD

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91 months ago

Dear Dr. Hunter-Handsfield,

thank you again so much. A last question/remark: Some online-sources quote an incubation period of 1 - 14 days. Are they wrong or how would you judge this due to your huge personal experience?

Thanks again! Have a great sunday!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

91 months ago

I can't state it more clearly than I did above. As I said, incubation period varies with the anatomic site of infection. If you are citing a knowledgeable, professional resource, 1-14 days must be covering more than one site. 1 day is on the sort side, but perhaps possible for male urethral infection; and 14 days is definitely too long for urethral, but within the right ballpark for cervical (genital) infection in women.

If you think you were exposed to gonorrhea, do not rely on incubation period or symptoms. Get tested.

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91 months ago

Dear Dr. HH,

I am grateful getting your advice....

As Dr. Hook did not recommend testing and reassured me I feel better and will keep you advice moving on without worries. That is your merit. You think I am right?

All the best!

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

91 months ago

I re-reviewed your initial question with Dr. Hook. I agree with his advice: you had a virtually zero risk exposure. If somehow I had been in your situation, I would not have given STD risk a second though, would not be tested, and would continue unprotected sex with my wife without worry.

That concludes this thread. Please be aware of our policy againt similar repetative quesitons. This will have to be your last one about this exposure and your concerns about it; or more or less identical future exposures. Thanks for your understanding. I hope the discussions have been helfpul. Best wishes and stay safe.

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