Single dose cefoxitin in treating uncomplicated gonorrhoea caused by penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and non-PPNG strains

Abstract

A total of 136 patients with uncomplicated gonorrhoea were treated with intramuscular cefoxitin 2 g (25 patients) or 1 g (111 patients) and oral probenecid 1 g. Cefoxitin 1 g cured 95% (42 out of 45 men and all of 14 women) with infections caused by penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) strains and 98% (all of 38 men and 13 out of 14 women) with non-PPNG infections, giving an overall cure rate of 96%. The rate of postgonococcal urethritis (PGU) in men treated with 1 g cefoxitin was 28%. No serious side effects of treatment were observed in patients treated with either dose. The failure rate of 7% in men infected with PPNG strains who were treated with the 1 g dose is, however, disturbing. We therefore recommend that intramuscular cefoxitin 2 g and oral probenecid 1 g may be used to treat uncomplicated gonorrhoea, especially in areas where PPNG strains are common.