National case definition: Gonorrhea

Date of last revision/review: May 2008

National notification

Only confirmed cases of disease should be notified.

Type of surveillance

Routine case-by-case notification to the federal level

Case classification

Confirmed case-genital infections

Laboratory confirmation of infection in genitourinary specimens:

• detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by culture

or

• detection of N. gonorrhoeae nucleic acid

Confirmed case-extra-genital infections

Laboratory confirmation of infection from pharynx, rectum, joint, conjunctiva, blood and other extra-genital sites:

• detection of N. gonorrhoeae by culture

or

• detection of N. gonorrhoeae nucleic acid

Confirmed case-perinatally acquired infections

Laboratory confirmation of infection from a neonate in the first four weeks of life leading to the diagnosis of gonococcal conjunctivitis, scalp abscess, vaginitis, bacteremia, arthritis, meningitis or endocarditis:

• detection of N. gonorrhoeae by culture

or

• detection of N. gonorrhoeae nucleic acid

Laboratory comments

Further strain characterization is indicated for epidemiologic, public health and control purposes.

A positive test for Gram-negative intracellular diplococci in symptomatic males with urethral discharge provides a presumptive diagnosis for gonorrhea in men.

ICD code(s)

ICD-10 code(s)

A54.0, A54.1, A54.2, A54.5, A54.6, A54.9

ICD-9 code(s)

098.11, 098.15, 098.16, 098.31, 098.35, 098.14, 098.34, 098.0, 098.2

Comments

Each case classification is mutually exclusive.

Individuals with more than one site of infection concurrently may fall under more than one case classification but will be counted as one case with multiple sites of infection identified, to avoid duplicate counting of cases.

References

Case definitions for diseases under national surveillance. CCDR 2000;26(S3).

Retrieved May 2008, from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/00vol26/26s3/index.html