There are two parts to successfully treating a sexually transmitted disease, especially one as easily spread as gonorrhea. The first is to cure the affected person. The second is to locate, test and treat all other sexual contacts to prevent further spread of the disease.

Mandatory reporting of gonococcal disease has been instituted and has, until recently, held the number of cases of gonorrhea at a low level. However, the incidence is once again rising.

Beginning about the time of the Vietnam War, the United States saw the appearance of penicillin- and tetracycline-resistant strains of gonorrhea. Resistant strains have been increasing over the last few years.

Because of this, a new standardized treatment regimen has now been recommended by the CDC. Instead of the standard penicillin treatment, gonorrhea is now treated with newer antibiotics.

This treatment regimen includes any one of the following antibiotics.

• INJECTIONS
  • Ceftriaxone IM (injected into a muscle)
  • Spectinomycin IM (injected into a muscle)
    
• ORAL (by mouth) one-time dose
  • Cefixime
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Ofloxacin
  • Cefuroxime Axetil
  • Cefpodoxime proxetil
  • Enoxacin
    
• ORAL (by mouth) multiple dose
  • Erythromycin

In addition to treatment for gonorrhea, patients are usually treated at the same time for chlamydia. Chlamydia can be harder to diagnose, but may be found to cause infection at the same time.

A follow-up visit 7 days after treatment to recheck cultures and confirm the cure of infection is important.

• Disseminated gonococcemia
• Gonococcal arthritis

• Urethral scarring and stricture
• Epididymitis
• Orchitis
• Prostatitis

• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Salpingitis
• Perihepatitis
• Infertility
• Sterility
• Increased incidence of tubal pregnancy (ectopic pregnancy)

Call your health care provider if you have had a known or suspected contact with an infected sexual partner.

Call your health care provider if you develop symptoms of gonococcal pharyngitis.