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