Treatment of gonorrhoea in males in the Central African Republic with spectinomycin and procaine penicillin

Abstract

Gonorrhoea has become a problem in most parts of the world, and valid recommendations for treatment are important for control of the disease. In this study in Bangui, Central African Republic, 460 male patients with gonorrhoea were randomly assigned to treatment with either 4.0 x 10(6) units of procaine penicillin plus 1 g of probenecid, or 2 g of spectinomycin. Of these patients, 91% returned for follow-up; the failure rate was 4.8% with the penicillin schedule and 6.2% with spectinomycin (difference not statistically significant). Concomitant Chlamydia trachomatis infection was found in 5% of patients, and almost all of this group developed postgonococcal urethritis.Of the 460 patients, 7 (1.5%) were infected with penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) strains. Penicillin treatment failed in these cases, while spectinomycin was highly efficacious. The failure rate for penicillin was considerably higher in infections with strains that were less sensitive to penicillin in vitro. The failure rate for spectinomycin treatment was higher in patients who were infected with a strain that was highly sensitive to penicillin.It is concluded that, once PPNG strains have been found in a country, treatment of gonorrhoea should be based on an antibiotic that cures PPNG infections. Tetracycline can be used as second-line treatment, since it will also cure C. trachomatis infection, which is much less frequently associated with gonorrhoea in Africa than in industrial countries.