Pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males [corrected].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effectiveness of single-dose pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males.


METHODS
Department of STD Control, Kelantan Road, Singapore.


METHODS
160 male patients with uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis were assigned alternately to receive single oral doses of either pefloxacin 800 mg or ciprofloxacin 250 mg.


RESULTS
Of the pefloxacin group 98.5% (65/66 patients) and of the ciprofloxacin group 98.6% (74/75 patients) were cured of gonorrhoea. The rates of post-gonococcal urethritis were 64.3% and 67.3% in the pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin groups, respectively. Both drugs were well tolerated and reported side-effects were minor and transient. There was a high incidence of penicillinase-producing gonococci (32.3%) and tetracycline resistant isolates with MIC > or = 2 mg/l (99.3%). High level tetracycline resistance (MIC > or = 16 mg/l) was found in 7.4% of isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
The drugs in the dosages studied may be recommended for first-line treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males in Singapore. However, the emergence of bacterial resistance to the fluoroquinolones in the literature calls for vigilance in the monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility [corrected].
Cheong
L L
LL
National Skin Centre, Singapore.
Chan
R K
RK
Nadarajah
M
M
D042462:4-Quinolones; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae; D015363:Quinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance; D014526:Urethritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015366:Pefloxacin
D042462:4-Quinolones; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D015363:Quinolones; D015366:Pefloxacin