text: Gonorrhea, a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease (STD), is one of the most commonly reported diseases in the United States, with more than 350,000 cases each year.\n\nSometimes referred to as the clap, gonorrhea often is characterized by thick discharge from the penis or vagina. However, many people experience no signs or symptoms.\n\nThe bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, also referred to as gonococcus, causes gonorrhea. The disease spreads through semen or vaginal fluids during unprotected sexual contact, heterosexual or homosexual, with an infected partner. The more sexual partners you have, the greater your risk. An infected pregnant woman also can pass gonorrhea to her baby during delivery. Casual contact, such as kissing, doesn't spread the disease.\n\nAbout three out of four reported cases of gonorrhea in the United States occur in people younger than 30. The highest rates of infection often are present in 15- to 19-year old women and 20- to 24-year-old men.\n\nTreatment for gonorrhea involves a course of antibiotic medications to eliminate the infection. Practicing safe sex is important in preventing gonorrhea.\n\nyes you can catch it....