Definition
Gonorrhea, also known as blenorrhea or blenorrhagia, is a fairly common bacterial infectious disease with exclusively sexual transmission.
Causes
Gonorrhea is caused by sexual contact with subjects infected with Neisser gonococcus ( Neisseria gonorrhoeae ).
Symptoms
Gonorrhea can infect the cervix (in the woman), the pharynx (pharyngitis), the rectum (proctitis) and the urethra (urethritis), causing a series of more or less serious symptoms: balanitis / balanoposthitis, difficulty urinating, dyspareunia, pelvic pain, pus leakage from the penis, mucorrhea, urethral / vaginal discharge, anal / urethral itching, blood in stool and urine, rectal tenesmus, dark / turbid urine. Complications: sterility.
Information on Gonorrhea - Drugs for treating gonorrhea is not intended to replace the direct relationship between health professional and patient. Always consult your doctor and / or specialist before taking Gonorrhea - Medications to treat gonorrhea.
drugs
In order to avoid Neisser gonococcal infection, prevention is essential, which essentially consists in the use of barrier contraceptive methods (eg condom). In the case of proven gonorrhea, adequate therapy with specific antibiotics is essential to avoid complications: epididymitis for humans, pelvic inflammatory disease for women and infertility for both.
Macrolides: among the macrolide antibiotics, the drug most used in therapy for gonorrhea is Azithromycin:
- Azithromycin (eg Azithromycin, Zitrobiotic, Rezan, Azitrocin, Azitrocin): it is recommended to take 2 grams of this drug in a single dose. Indicated in case of gonococcal infection (gonorrhea) without complications. A single dose is generally sufficient to eliminate the beating: in this regard, it is recommended to take the drug as soon as the first symptoms appear, in addition to sexual abstention until the patient is completely cured. It is also advisable to extend the treatment to the sexual partner in order to avoid the spread of the infection.
Cephalosporins
- Cefotaxima (eg Cefotaxima, Aximad, Lirgosin, Lexor) this third-generation cephalosporin is recommended for both disseminated gonococcal infection and for the form free of serious complications. For the treatment of disseminated gonorrhea, it is recommended to administer the drug IV, 1 gram every 8 hours. The duration of parenteral therapy is generally continued for 24-48 hours (or more), based on what was established by the doctor; the therapy can possibly be modified with an oral drug after a week of parenteral treatment (when necessary). In the case of gonorrhea with mild symptoms of the cervix, urethra or rectum, the recommended dose is 500 mg intramuscularly. In the case of male rectal gonorrhea, it is possible to take up to 1 gram of drug (single dose). Also in this case, the partner must undergo antibiotic therapy.
- Cefuroxime (eg. Cefoprim, Tilexim, Zoref, Zinnat): belongs to the second generation cephalosporin class. In the case of disseminated gonorrhea, take 750 mg or 1 g of intravenous drug every 8 hours. For patients with mild (without complications) gonorrhea the recommended dosage is 1 gram of drug taken per os, in a single dose; alternatively, take 1.5 g of active substance intramuscularly, in a single dose, combined with os probiotics.
- Ceftriaxone (eg. Ceftriaxone, Pantoxon, Ragex, Deixim): treatment with this drug is particularly effective in cases of pharyngeal gonococcal infection. However, it is possible to take this active also in case of disseminated and uncomplicated gonorrhea: in the first case, intravenous or intramuscular administration of 1 gram of drug is recommended every 24 hours (the duration of the therapy must be established by the attending physician), while in the case of gonorrhea without complications, intramuscular administration of 250 mg in a single dose is sufficient.
Quinolones
- Ciprofloxacin: (eg. Ciprofloxac, Samper, Ciproxin, Kinox): it is recommended to take this drug in a single dose (500 mg) when it comes to gonorrhea without complications. Otherwise (severe form), take 400 mg of active ingredient ev twice a day, every 12 hours, for one or two days (or in any case until the clinical picture is improved); then take 500 mg of oral medication twice a day for 7 days. It is recommended to extend the therapy also to your sexual partner.
- Ofloxacin (eg Exocin, Oflocin): in the case of disseminated gonorrhea, it is recommended to take 400 mg of active every 12 hours. The duration of therapy must be established by the doctor. When instead gonorrhea occurs without serious complications, the recommended dose is 400 mg (to be taken orally), in a single administration. Concomitant Chlamydia infections should generally be treated with the additional administration of a single dose of Azithromycin, or with doxycycline for 7 days: if you are pregnant, contact your doctor.
- Levofloxacin (eg Levofloxacin, Tavanic, Aranda, Fovex): in the case of disseminated gonorrhea, it is recommended to administer 250 mg of active every 24 hours intravenously. Therapy can be continued by taking 500 mg / day orally 24-48 hours after improving the clinical picture, for at least 7 days. When it comes to gonorrhea without complications, it is possible to treat the patient with a single dose of active (250 mg per os): particularly indicated for cervical and urethral gonorrhea.
Tetracycline
- Tetracycline (eg Tetrac C, Pensulvit, Ambramycin): it is recommended to administer 500 mg of oral medication 4 times a day for 7 days. It is essential that the sexual partner also undergoes therapy, even in the absence of symptoms (frequent eventuality).
penicillins
- Bacampicillin (eg. Bacampicil, Bacasint, Winnipeg): this drug (belonging to the aminopenicilline class) should be taken with a posology of 1.6 g per os associated with 1 gram of probenecid (eg Probenec), in a single dose. Recommended in case of gonorrhea without complications.
NB It is good to consider the possibility of Chlamydia co-infections: in similar situations, the doctor modifies the therapy for the treatment of gonorrhea, combining other specific drugs.
