title: A comparison of penicillin G plus a beta-lactamase inhibitor (sulbactam) with spectinomycin for treatment of urethritis caused by penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
abstract: When combined with penicillin, sulbactam, a beta-lactamase inhibitor with weak intrinsic antibacterial activity, produces a marked synergistic effect in vitro against penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We compared a regimen of aqueous procaine penicillin G, sulbactam, and probenecid with spectinomycin for the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis. Of 101 patients receiving the penicillin-sulbactam regimen, 97 (97%) were cured of their infection, as were 87 (95%) of 92 patients who received spectinomycin. Fifty per cent of patients were infected with penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae; 43 (94%) of 46 treated with the penicillin-sulbactam regimen were cured as compared with 47 (92%) of 51 treated with spectinomycin. Neither regimen was associated with serious adverse effects. The results show that aqueous procaine penicillin G given with sulbactam and probenecid is an effective alternative for single-session therapy of urethritis caused by penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects; D010397:Penicillanic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010402:Penicillin G Procaine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011339:Probenecid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000198:Spectinomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013407:Sulbactam; D014481:United States; D014526:Urethritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D065093:beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; D010402:Penicillin G Procaine; D010397:Penicillanic Acid; D000198:Spectinomycin; D011339:Probenecid; D010400:Penicillin G; D013407:Sulbactam