**1. Introduction**

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem worldwide, affecting the quality of life and causing serious morbidity and mortality. Indeed, *Neisseria gonorrhoeae* (also known as the gonococcus) is the etiological agent of gonorrhea, the second most frequently reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world [1] after *Chlamydia trachomatis*. This bacterium is a Gram-negative diplococcus that can affect both men and women, causing the infection of the urogenital, rectal, and pharyngeal sites [2].

Clinically, gonorrhea may be asymptomatic in many cases. However, clinical manifestations in men include dysuria, pain in the testicles, and purulent urethral discharge with mucoid secretion from the penis. For women, painful urination, itching, or vaginal discharge might be noticed. Gonorrhea can also infect the rectum inducing pain with bowel movements, constipation or rectal discharge [2], and other sites such as the oropharyngeal mucosa, ocular, and anal mucosa.

Gonococcal infection can induce serious complications, ranging from salpingitis and epididymitis to pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility. Gonococcal infection during pregnancy can cause various complications since the infection could be transmitted to newborns via vaginal delivery, which may cause neonatal ophthalmia. Untreated *N. gonorrhoeae*, and other STIs, were shown to facilitate the transmission and acquisition of the human immunodeficiency virus [2]. The control of gonorrhea relies on prevention, appropriate diagnostics, and effective antimicrobial treatment [3].
