Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have been a persistent global challenge, with gonorrhea, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae , remaining an enduring threat. Despite its clinical and social importance, the historical evolution of gonorrhea-related knowledge and public perceptions in China have received limited scholarly attention. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing two interconnected threads: first, the formulation of medical knowledge, encompassing Traditional Chinese Medicine’s (TCM) understanding of linzheng (淋证) and Western medicine’s definition of gonorrhea; second, the evolution of public perceptions, shifting from endogenous pathology to exogenous risk. This study reveals how gonorrhea transitioned from being understood as a traditional illness to being recognized as a sexually transmitted disease, from being part of general medical education to becoming a focal point of sex-oriented education, and from being perceived as an individual ailment to being understood as a social issue.
Source: Frontiers in Public Health
Author: Peng Miao
Institution: University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
Language: English
Subfield: History
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
OpenAlex ID: W7123336091