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Gonococcal arthritis - Treatment

Alternative Names

Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI)

Treatment:

The gonorrhea infection must be treated. For detailed information about treating this disease, see gonorrhea.

There are two aspects of treating a sexually transmitted disease, especially one as easily spread as gonorrhea. The first is to cure the infected person. The second is to locate, test, and treat all sexual contacts of the infected person to prevent further spread of the disease. Some locations allow you to take counseling information and treatment to your partner(s) yourself. In other locations, the health department will contact your partner(s).

A new standardized treatment routine is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Your health care provider will determine the best and most up-to-date treatment. A follow-up visit 7 days after treatment is important, if the infection was complicated, to recheck blood tests and confirm the cure of infection.

Expectations (prognosis):

Symptoms usually improve within 1 to 2 days of starting treatment. Full recovery can be expected.

Complications:

Untreated, this condition may lead to persistent joint pain.

For information on other gonorrhea-related complications, see gonorrhea.

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of gonorrhea or gonococcal arthritis.

Gonoccocal arthritis

Reviewed last on: 5/30/2009
Linda Vorvick, MD, Family Physician, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Bamberger DM. Gonorrhea. In: Rakel P, Bope ET, eds. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier: 2008: chap 184.

Bauer HM, Wohlfeiler D, Klausner JD, et al. California Guidelines for Expedited Partner Therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrheae. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. 2008; 35(3):314-319.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2007. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; December 2008. Accessed April 5, 2009.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Update to CDC's sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006: fluoroquinolones no longer recommended for treatment of gonococcal infections. MMWR. 2007;56(14):332-336. Accessed April 5, 2009.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for gonorrhea: recommendation statement. Ann Fam Physician. 2005;3(3):263-267. Accessed April 5, 2009.

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