Treatment:

There are two goals in treating a sexually transmitted disease, especially one as easily spread as gonorrhea. The first is to cure the infection in the patient. The second is to locate and test all of the other people the person had sexual contact with and treat them to prevent further spread of the disease.

Penicillin used to be given to patients with gonorrhea. But it is not often used anymore because some types of the gonorrhea bacteria no longer respond to the drug. This is called antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is major public health threat in which bacteria cannot be killed with the usual antibiotic medicines.

The bacteria responsible for gonorrhea is growing increasingly resistant to another class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which includes ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, or levofloxacin. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommendeds against using these medicines to treat gonorrhea.

Antibiotics called cephalosporins, including Ceftriaxone (Rocephin), are recommended for persons with gonorrhea. A medicine called Azithromycin (Zithromax) may be given to persons with uncomplicated infections.

A follow-up visit 7 days after treatment is important, especially for women who may not have symptoms associated with the infection.

Expectations (prognosis):

Complications:

Complications in women may include:

• Salpingitis (scarring of the fallopian tubes), which can lead to problems getting pregnant
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Vulvovaginitis
• Sterility (inability to become pregnant)
• Painful intercourse (dyspareunia)

Complications in men may include:

• Periurethral abscess (collection of pus around the urethra)
• Narrowing of the urethra caused by scarring (urethral stricture)
• Urination problems
• Urinary tract infection
• Kidney failure

Complications in both men and women may include:

• Disseminated infection, which can be very serious
• Infection or inflammation of the reproductive system
• Peritonitis
• Bacteremia (gonococcemia)
• Gonococcal arthritis (joint infection)
• Gonococcal pharyngitis (throat infection)
• Ophthalmia neonatorum (gonococcal conjunctivitis)

Calling your health care provider:

If you have symptoms suggestive of gonorrhea, you should call your health care provider immediately. Most state-sponsored clinics will diagnose and treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) without charge.