back to Canada directory
canada clinical guidance

Gonorrhoea — recognition, testing, and antibiotic resistance

A Canadian clinical summary of gonorrhoea — recognition, testing, and antibiotic resistance, with source-attributed priorities and explicit jurisdiction boundaries.

JurisdictionCanada
Source check2026-08-20
Clinical reviewiatroX editorial team · Clinical editorial review · reviewed 2026-08-20 · due 2027-08-20
AudienceHealthcare professionals practising in Canada
This is an iatroX educational summary of named Canada sources, not an official guideline. It does not replace the complete source documents, local policy, specialist advice or clinical judgement. The evidence source is pan-Canadian, but formularies, funded access, referral routes, public-health directions and service availability remain provincial or territorial.

Source and scope

This summary is bounded to the recommendations, population and decisions covered by Gonorrhea guide: Treatment and follow-up. Apply it with the current provincial or territorial pathway where implementation differs.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Source-attributed clinical priorities

  • Obtain nucleic-acid testing from all exposed sites and culture when treatment failure or antimicrobial resistance is a concern.
  • Use the current Canadian regimen because resistance patterns and recommendations change.
  • Arrange test-of-cure when indicated, repeat screening, partner management and testing for other sexually transmitted infections.
  • Sample every exposed anatomic site because urine testing alone can miss pharyngeal or rectal infection.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Practical assessment and management workflow

1
Ask about exposure sites, symptoms, pregnancy, allergy and partner and travel history.
2
Collect nucleic-acid tests and culture before treatment when resistance surveillance or failure is possible.
3
Give the current Canadian empiric regimen and test for chlamydia, syphilis and HIV.
4
Arrange test of cure and repeat testing where indicated and ensure partner treatment.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Safety, red flags and urgent escalation

  • Pelvic pain, testicular pain, disseminated rash or joint symptoms requires complication assessment.
  • Suspected treatment failure needs culture and susceptibility testing with public-health involvement.
  • Do not use older regimens without checking current national resistance guidance.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Confirm the local pathway before acting

The evidence source is pan-Canadian, but formularies, funded access, referral routes, public-health directions and service availability remain provincial or territorial.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Source and implementation boundary

Read this educational summary with the linked source, current Canadian product information where medicines are involved, and the applicable provincial or territorial pathway. Local formularies, reporting duties, referral routes and service availability can differ.
sources for this section:PHAC gonorrhea

Source documents

Use the linked source documents for complete recommendations, evidence grading, exclusions and implementation detail.

  1. Public Health Agency of CanadaGonorrhea guide: Treatment and follow-upaccessed 2026-08-20
    view source
continue the learning

From guidance to deliberate practice and evidence

Choose what happens next. iatroX can carry this page's jurisdiction, source-check date and released version into an editable learning record, support your reflection, or let you browse the regional question bank while keeping this topic visible. No action records completion, starts a session or awards CPD/CME credit automatically.

Add this guidance review to CPD/CMEOpen an editable learning-log record with this page’s provenance attached. You confirm the activity, time, reflection and mappings.Reflect on this with TutorUse optional prompts to consider what you learned and what—if anything—you may change. Suggestions are never inserted automatically.Browse the Canada question bankKeep this guidance topic in view, then choose your exam and filters. No session starts automatically.
Found a source update or regional discrepancy? Tell the iatroX editorial team.