Are Herpangina & Gonorrhea Related?

Herpangina and gonorrhea are both infectious diseases. These illnesses, however, are not related. The cause of herpangina is a virus, while gonorrhea's cause is bacteria. In rare cases, gonorrhea can produce symptoms similar to those of herpangina.

Herpangina

• Coxsackievirus type A is usually the cause of herpangina, though coxsackievirus type B or echovirus can also cause the disease. Herpangina is most common in young children. It causes fever and sore throat, with sores in the mouth and on the throat. Sometimes, sores may also appear on the hands and feet, and it is then known as hand, foot and mouth disease.

Treating Herpangina

• Herpangina is a mild illness that usually goes away in a week or less. Doctors only treat the symptoms of herpangina -- fever-reducing medicine and maybe a numbing spray for the mouth is there is a lot of discomfort. Antibiotics will not work against viruses.

Gonorrhea

• Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease. Symptoms of genital gonorrhea include pain during urination and a yellowish discharge. There may also be blood in the urine. Oral sex with an infected person can cause gonorrhea of the throat, which causes a sore throat that does not go away. Symptoms normally start about a week after unprotected oral sex.

Treating Gonorrhea

• Treatment of gonorrhea, including throat gonorrhea, is with antibiotics, but its resistance to antibiotics is growing. It may take several trials with different types of antibiotics before the infection goes away.

Prevention

• Herpangima is hard to prevent in environments such as schools or day care centers. As always, good hygiene -- especially hand washing -- reduces the risk of transmission.

  Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease and as such, you can prevent it by practicing safe sex, such as the use of condoms, even during oral sex.