What
exactly is gonorrhea?
The bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae causes gonorrhea, a sexually
transmitted infection (STI). Through unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex, the
infection spreads from person to person. It can affect the penis, vaginal area,
and throat, among other body parts.
In 2017, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
555,608 new cases in the United States.
What is
the treatment for gonorrhea?
Antibiotics can help with symptoms and may even cure gonorrhea infections
if taken as directed. As soon as a diagnosis is made, treatment will begin.
Gonorrhea in the genital area
The CDC recommends that non-pregnant women with gonorrhea infections of
the cervix, urethra, or rectum take these drugs at the same time:
- A single dose of 250 milligrams (mg) ceftriaxone is injected into the muscle.
- 1 g azithromycin (Zithromax), orally administered
- If ceftriaxone isn't available, the following treatment options are suggested:
- 400 mg cefixime (Suprax) in a single oral dose
- 1 g azithromycin (Zithromax), orally administered
- Ceftriaxone and cefixime both belong to the cephalosporin antibiotic class.
When left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to serious complications, so it's
critical to seek treatment as soon as possible. With the right medications and
prompt treatment, most cases of gonorrhea can be cured.
The Oral gonorrhea
Throat
infections are more difficult to treat than genital infections. Although the
same medications are prescribed for oral gonorrhea infections, they are less
effective.
A throat
culture may be performed five to seven days after treatment begins. This can
assist them in determining whether or not the infection has been eradicated. If
the infection does not clear up in a few days, you will need to continue
treatment.
What if I told you...? For gonorrhea treatment,
fluoroquinolone antibiotics like ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and ofloxacin (Floxin)
are no longer recommended. In the United States, spectinomycin, another
antibiotic used to treat gonorrhea, is no longer available.
What is the treatment for
disseminated gonorrhea?
When N.
gonorrhea infects the bloodstream, it causes disseminated gonorrhea, a rare
complication. During the first phase of treatment, people with disseminated
gonorrhea must be hospitalized. They should also see a doctor who specializes
in infectious diseases.
Arthritis caused by gonococci
The CDC
recommends that people with gonococcal arthritis receive an initial treatment
of:
- Every 24 hours, 1 g ceftriaxone is injected into the muscle or given intravenously.
- 1 g azithromycin (Zithromax), orally administered
If a person
is unable to take ceftriaxone due to a drug allergy, they may be given:
- 1 g cefotaxime intravenously given every 8 hours
- 1 g ceftizoxime intravenously given every 8 hours
The first
phase lasts for at least 24 to 48 hours after the condition has shown signs of
improvement. If the condition improves during the second phase, the gonorrhea
patient will be switched to an oral antibiotic. The duration of the treatment
should be at least one week.
Endocarditis caused by gonococcal
meningitis
The CDC
recommends the following treatment for people who have gonococcal meningitis or
endocarditis:
- Every 12-24 hours, 1-2 g ceftriaxone is given intravenously.
- a single dose of 1 g azithromycin (Zithromax)
Intravenous
feeding, also known as parenteral therapy, is also advised. Meningitis should
be treated for at least ten days, while endocarditis should be treated for at
least four weeks.
Is there a
different treatment for gonorrhea in pregnant women?
The medications
used to treat gonorrhea in pregnant women are essentially the same as those
used to treat gonorrhea in non-pregnant women.
Treatment is
required to prevent disease transmission to the baby or complications.
Conjunctivitis,
or pink eye, is a common symptom of gonorrhea in babies. As a preventative
measure, some states mandate that all newborns receive antibiotic eye drops,
such as erythromycin.
Pregnant
women who have been diagnosed with gonorrhea should also be tested for other
sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
What are the possible
gonorrhea treatment side effects?
When it
comes to antibiotic therapy, one of the main concerns is side effects. All of
the antibiotics recommended can alter the bacteria that normally live in the
bowel or vaginal canal.
Women may be
more susceptible to diarrhea or vaginal yeast infections as a result of this.
Another common antibiotic side effect is gastrointestinal upset.
Cephalosporins
can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
- stomach ache
- rash
- reactions to allergens
- kidney failure
Azithromycin
can cause a variety of side effects, including:
- stomach ache
- nausea
- diarrhea
- vomiting
Other
possible side effects differ depending on the antibiotic in question.
What can be done to prevent
gonorrhea?
Taking
certain precautions can help prevent gonorrhea from spreading. There are also
precautions that can be taken to avoid infection in the first place.
The most
effective methods for preventing gonorrhea are to:
- abstain from sexual activity
- During vaginal, oral, or anal sexual intercourse, always use a condom.
- have a sexually monogamous partner who is not infected with the virus
Because
gonorrhea rarely causes symptoms, it's critical for people who are sexually
active to get tested on a regular basis. If their partner has been diagnosed
with gonorrhea, this is especially important.
Consult your
doctor about how often you should be tested for gonorrhea and other STIs.
Preventing gonorrhea transmission
Avoid having
sexual intercourse for at least seven days after finishing treatment to reduce
the risk of spreading gonorrhea to others. Encourage any sexual partners to see
their own doctors for an evaluation if they haven't done so in the last 60
days.
If a gonorrhea patient is in a romantic relationship, their partner should be tested for the disease as well. While being treated for gonorrhea, it is still possible to contract gonorrhea.
If both
partners have gonorrhea, they will receive the same treatment. Both must
refrain from sexual activity until they have completed treatment and have been
cured.
So, what's the bottom line?
Some of the
drugs used to treat gonorrheas, such as penicillin and tetracyclines, have
become resistant to the N. gonorrhea bacterium in recent years. This indicates
that these drugs are less effective at treating and curing the infection.
As a result,
nearly everyone in the United States who is treated will receive the same two
antibiotics: ceftriaxone and azithromycin.
The
bacterium may eventually develop resistance to even more of the drugs used to
treat gonorrhea, according to research published in the Journal of
Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
If gonorrhea
is left untreated — or treated incorrectly — it can cause pelvic inflammatory
disease (PID) in women and urethral scarring in men.
People who
have recently been diagnosed with gonorrhea should also be tested for other
sexually transmitted infections, such as:
- Syphilis
- Chlamydia
- Herpes
- HPV (humanoid papillomavirus)
- HIV
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