Screening for Gonorrhea

Release Date: May 2005

Summary of Recommendations / Supporting Documents

Summary of Recommendations

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that clinicians screen all sexually active women, including those who are pregnant, for gonorrhea infection if they are at increased risk for infection (that is, if they are young or have other individual or population risk factors; go to Clinical Considerations for further discussion of risk factors).
  Grade: B Recommendation.
• The USPSTF found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for gonorrhea infection in men at increased risk for infection (go to Clinical Considerations for discussion of risk factors).
  Grade: I Statement.
• The USPSTF recommends against routine screening for gonorrhea infection in men and women who are at low risk for infection (go to Clinical Considerations for discussion of risk factors).
  Grade: D Recommendation.
• The USPSTF found insufficient evidence to recommend for or against routine screening for gonorrhea infection in pregnant women who are not at increased risk for infection (go to Clinical Considerations for discussion of risk factors).
  Grade: I Statement.
• The USPSTF strongly recommends prophylactic ocular topical medication for all newborns against gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum.
  Grade: A Recommendation.

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Supporting Documents

Screening for Gonorrhea, May 2005
Recommendation Statement (PDF File, 106 KB; PDF Help)
Update of the Evidence (PDF File, 1.4 MB; PDF Help)

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Current as of May 2005

Internet Citation:

Screening for Gonorrhea, Topic Page. May 2005. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsgono.htm