Abstract

Gonorrhea, caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the second most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection. The disease causes serious reproductive complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, and infertility, and can facilitate human immunodeficiency virus transmission. Numerous antimicrobial agents have been used for the treatment of gonorrhea since sulfanilamides were introduced in 1936. Unfortunately, N. gonorrhoeae readily develops resistance to antimicrobial agents. Strains with decreased susceptibility to oral third generation cephalosporin (cefixime) are currently emerging. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) no longer recommends cefixime at any dose as a first-line regimen for treatment of gonococcal infections, but recommends combination therapy with ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly an deither azithromycin 1 g orally as a single dose or doxycycline 100 mg orally twice daily for 7 days as the most reliably effective treatment for uncomplicated gonorrhea.

• Keywords: Drug resistance, Multiple; Cefixime; Gonorrhea; Neisseria gonorrhoeae