This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Gonorrhea is a common bacterial infection, and it is one of the easier STIs to treat when it is found. It is also easy to miss, because many people have no symptoms at all.

This guide covers what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about symptoms of gonorrhea, why the body site matters for testing, how treatment works, and whether gonorrhea is curable. It also covers what the numbers look like in Clark County and where Las Vegas residents can get tested for free or at low cost.

What gonorrhea is

Gonorrhea is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. According to the CDC, it spreads through vaginal, anal or oral sex, and it can infect the genitals, the rectum and the throat. It can also pass from a pregnant person to a baby during birth.

Anyone who has sex can get gonorrhea, whatever their gender or orientation. Getting it says nothing about a person's character. It is a bacterial infection, and the practical question is simply whether it has been tested for and treated.

The bacterium is the "compound" of interest here, in a sense. It is a bacterium that has repeatedly adapted to the antibiotics used against it, which shapes how clinicians treat it today. More on that below.

Symptoms of gonorrhea by body site

The CDC states that many people with gonorrhea have no symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they depend on where the infection is. Symptoms alone cannot confirm or rule out gonorrhea, because other infections can look similar. Only a test can say what is going on.

Genital infection

The CDC lists these possible symptoms in people with a penis:

Burning or pain when urinating
White, yellow or green discharge from the penis
Pain or swelling in one or both testicles

The CDC lists these possible symptoms in people with a vagina and cervix:

New or increased vaginal discharge
Burning when urinating
Bleeding between periods
Pain during sex or lower belly pain

The CDC notes that symptoms in women are often mild and can be mistaken for a bladder or vaginal infection. That is one reason a clinician's test matters more than guessing from symptoms.

Rectal infection

Rectal gonorrhea can cause discharge, anal itching, soreness, bleeding or painful bowel movements. The CDC also says many people with rectal infection have no symptoms. Rectal infection can happen after receptive anal sex. It is also reported in people who have not had anal sex, so a clinician may ask about exposure without assuming anything.

Throat infection

Gonorrhea in the throat usually causes no symptoms, according to the CDC. Some people have a sore throat, but that has many other causes. Because throat infections are often silent, they can pass to partners without anyone knowing.

Why untreated infection matters

The CDC says untreated gonorrhea can cause serious problems. In people with a uterus, it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, which can affect fertility and can cause long-term pelvic pain or pregnancy outside the uterus. In people with a penis, it can lead to a painful infection of the tube behind the testicle, called epididymitis. Rarely, the bacteria can spread to the blood or joints. The CDC also says that having gonorrhea can make it easier to get or pass on HIV.

These outcomes are the reason testing is worth doing even when you feel fine. They are also largely preventable when the infection is found and treated.

Why site-specific testing matters

Gonorrhea can live in one site without showing up in another. A urine sample can be negative while a throat or rectal infection is present. The CDC recommends testing based on the sites of sexual exposure, not only the genitals.

In practice, that can mean:

A urine sample or a swab for genital infection
A throat swab if there has been oral sex
A rectal swab if there has been anal sex

The CDC says the preferred tests are nucleic acid amplification tests, often called NAATs. They detect the genetic material of the bacteria and are more sensitive than older methods. A clinician can explain which samples are right for your situation, and you can say plainly which sites apply to you. Clinicians hear this every day and do not judge it.

Many people only ever get a urine test. If you have had oral or anal sex, ask whether throat and rectal swabs can be added. Some clinics collect these as part of a standard visit, and some may need to be asked.

Who should be screened

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening for gonorrhea in sexually active women who are 24 or younger, and in older women who are at increased risk. The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines add that sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men should be screened at least once a year at each site of contact, with more frequent screening for people at higher risk. The CDC also recommends screening for some other groups, such as people who are pregnant and at higher risk. A clinician can tell you which recommendations apply to you.

Testing is also reasonable after a new partner, after a partner is diagnosed, or any time you simply want to know. A clinician or a test can tell you what is going on. Guessing cannot.

Is gonorrhea curable?

Yes. Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection, and the CDC says it can be cured with the right antibiotic treatment from a clinician. That answers the question many people ask first: is gonorrhea curable? It is.

There are two important points to keep in mind:

Treatment cures the current infection. It does not protect against getting gonorrhea again.
Treatment stops further damage but cannot reverse harm that has already happened, which is why finding it early matters.

Gonorrhea treatment: what the CDC recommends

Gonorrhea treatment is prescribed or given by a clinician. The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines recommend an injectable antibiotic as the preferred approach for uncomplicated gonorrhea. Clinicians may add a second antibiotic if chlamydia has not been ruled out, because the two infections often occur together. Exact medicines, amounts and timing are decided by the clinician, based on your test results, allergies, pregnancy status and the site of infection.

Some practical points from the CDC:

Do not use leftover antibiotics or antibiotics from someone else. They may not work on gonorrhea and can make resistance worse.
The CDC advises people to avoid sex until treatment is complete and any symptoms have gone, and until their partners have been treated.
Recent partners generally need testing and treatment too, so the infection does not pass back and forth.
Symptoms that continue after treatment are a reason to go back to a clinician.

Treating partners

The CDC describes expedited partner therapy (EPT), in which a clinician can provide treatment for a patient's partners without a separate visit. According to the CDC's legal status page for Nevada, EPT is permissible in Nevada as of March 16, 2009. Whether it is offered in a particular visit is up to the clinician, so it is worth asking.

Test-of-cure for throat infections

In most cases, people treated with the recommended regimen do not need a follow-up test just to confirm cure. The CDC makes an exception for throat infection. Throat gonorrhea can be harder to clear, so the CDC recommends a test-of-cure for people with pharyngeal (throat) gonorrhea who were treated with an alternative regimen. The guidelines advise testing with a NAAT about 7 to 14 days after treatment.

A clinician can tell you whether a test-of-cure applies to you. The CDC also advises retesting about three months after treatment for most people, because reinfection is common, and a clinician can explain that timing.

Antibiotic resistance and why it shapes treatment

The CDC reports that gonorrhea bacteria have developed resistance to nearly every class of antibiotic used to treat them over the decades. As a result, treatment recommendations have changed several times, and the CDC now relies on a narrow set of options. The agency tracks resistance through national surveillance and updates its guidance when patterns shift.

For readers, three things follow from this:

Treatment should come from a clinician who follows current CDC guidance, not from home remedies or old prescriptions.
Finishing the treatment you are given matters.
Testing and treating partners helps limit spread, which in turn helps limit resistance.

Research suggests that resistance is a reason public health agencies pay close attention to gonorrhea. It does not change the main message: gonorrhea remains treatable with the care that is recommended today.

Doxy-PEP and gonorrhea

In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex (doxy-PEP) for some gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. Research reviewed by the CDC suggests doxy-PEP lowers the chance of syphilis and chlamydia more clearly than gonorrhea, where the effect appears smaller and may be limited by resistance. Whether doxy-PEP makes sense is a conversation for a clinician. The Southern Nevada Health District's Decatur clinic lists doxy-PEP among its services, so it is a place to ask.

Gonorrhea in Las Vegas: what the data show

Las Vegas is in Clark County, and the numbers below are for the county. The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Office of State Epidemiology, reports in its Nevada 2023 STD Fast Facts that Clark County had 5,768 gonorrhea cases in 2023, a rate of 241.1 per 100,000 people. For all of Nevada, the same report lists 6,538 cases and a rate of 199.8 per 100,000.

The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) publishes quarterly disease statistics. Its fourth-quarter 2025 report, with data as of February 5, 2026, lists 4,951 gonorrhea cases for calendar year 2025, compared with 5,250 for 2024. These 2025 counts are provisional. They may change, and a lower count does not by itself show that fewer people are infected, since testing and reporting can also change counts.

The takeaway is that gonorrhea is not rare here. Thousands of cases are diagnosed in the county each year, which is why routine testing is a normal part of sexual health care in Las Vegas.

Nevada rules worth knowing

Reporting: Under Nevada Administrative Code chapter 441A, gonococcal infection is a reportable communicable disease. Health care providers must report cases or suspected cases to the local health authority. This is routine public health practice and is how counts like those above are produced.
Minors: Nevada Revised Statutes, NRS 129.060, says a minor may give express consent to examination and treatment for any sexually transmitted disease, and to STD prevention services. The statute names no minimum age.

Where to get tested for gonorrhea in Las Vegas

You do not need symptoms to get tested. Here are options in the Las Vegas area, based on what each organization publishes. Hours and services can change, and the Southern Nevada Health District's own pages list different hours in places, so confirm by phone before you go.

Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic

SNHD runs two Las Vegas sites that offer STI testing, HIV testing and treatment:

Decatur: 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. The sexual health clinic page lists Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Fremont: 2830 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89104. The page lists Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Wednesday through Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. SNHD asks people to arrive by 5:30 PM to allow time for processing.

Both sites can be reached at (702) 759-1700. SNHD says walk-ins for STI testing and treatment are available until capacity is reached.

SNHD also offers free Express Testing, a walk-in service for people who do not have symptoms. At Decatur it is listed Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 3:30 PM. At Fremont it is listed on Fridays, 7:30 AM to 4 PM. If you have symptoms, the standard clinic visit is the route to use.

On cost, SNHD says charges for clinic services are based on income and household size, and that you will not be turned away because you cannot pay on the day of your visit. SNHD advises bringing proof of income and a photo ID.

Arlene Cooper Community Health Center at The Center

The LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada runs a health center at 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Its page says HIV testing is free, STI screening is low cost, and some insurance is billed. Treatment for STIs is also provided on site. Appointments can be made at 702-802-5432. The page says walk-in services are available for a limited number of patients each day, and appointments are highly encouraged. The health center section lists Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, though the site footer shows different hours, so call first.

Nevada Health Centers

Nevada Health Centers lists STD testing at two Las Vegas sites and offers a sliding-fee discount program based on family size and income:

Martin Luther King Family Health Center, 1799 Mount Mariah Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89106. Phone 702.383.1961 or 800.787.2568.
Nellis Family Medical Center, 691 N. Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110. Phone 702.563.4662 or 800.787.2568.

The organization's pages do not state whether walk-ins are accepted, so call ahead.

UNLV students

The UNLV Student Health Center, in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center at 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., lists testing for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. It serves UNLV students and can be reached at 702-895-3370. The page does not list prices.

Mail-in testing from the health district

SNHD's Collect2Protect program offers self-collected mail-in kits for gonorrhea and chlamydia to Nevada residents. SNHD says insurance and Medicaid are not accepted, and that results can be ready within 7 to 10 business days after the laboratory receives the specimens. The current program page does not state a price. If you have had oral or anal sex, ask SNHD whether throat and rectal samples are included, since the program page does not say. Any positive result still needs a clinician for treatment.

For a longer list that compares options and costs, see our guide to where to get tested in Las Vegas and what it costs. You can also use the CDC's national locator at gettested.cdc.gov to find testing sites by ZIP code.

What to expect at a visit

A gonorrhea test is usually quick. You may be asked for a urine sample or you may swab yourself, or a clinician may collect swabs from the throat or rectum. Tell the clinician which types of sex you have had so the right samples are collected. You can ask about other STI tests at the same time, including HIV, syphilis and chlamydia. The CDC notes that people with one STI often have another.

If a test is positive, a clinician will explain treatment and talk about partners. Public health staff may contact the health district about partner notification, which is routine. If a test is negative, the clinician can talk with you about when to test again based on your situation.

Questions to bring to a clinician

Which sites should be tested, given my sexual contact?
Should I be tested for other infections today?
If I test positive, will a follow-up test be needed for the throat or any other site?
Should my partners be tested or treated, and is EPT an option?
Is PrEP, PEP or doxy-PEP something I should discuss?

The bottom line

Gonorrhea is common in Clark County, often has no symptoms, and can affect the genitals, throat and rectum. It is curable with antibiotics prescribed by a clinician, and resistance is a reason to follow current CDC guidance carefully. Testing is straightforward, and free or low-cost options exist in Las Vegas. If you are due for a test or wondering whether to get one, a clinic call is a good next step.

Gonorrhea: Symptoms, Testing and Treatment in Las Vegas