Which two conditions are classically recognized as complications of gonorrheal infection?

• A. Disseminated gonococcal infection and pelvic inflammatory disease
• B. Hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis
• C. Vaginismus and vulvodynia
• D. Chlamydia and gonorrhea

Answer: (A)

Gonorrheal infection can either stay localized or spread, and the two classic complications reflect that spread. Pelvic inflammatory disease occurs when the infection ascends from the cervix into the upper genital tract, inflaming the uterus, fallopian tubes, and surrounding tissues. This can lead to infertility, chronic pelvic pain, or ectopic pregnancy if not treated. Disseminated gonococcal infection happens when Neisseria gonorrhoeae enters the bloodstream, producing a systemic syndrome that often includes arthritis and skin findings (dermatitis-arthritis syndrome), and sometimes fever.

The other options don’t fit as complications of gonorrhea: metabolic issues like high blood sugar or ketoacidosis aren’t caused by this infection; vaginismus or vulvodynia are pain conditions not direct infectious complications; and while chlamydia can accompany gonorrhea, it’s a separate infection rather than a complication of gonorrhea itself.