Cefixime resistance prompts new gonorrhoea guidelines

摘要

FIRST-LINE treatment guidelines for gonorrhoea have been revised after laboratory tests revealed an "alarming" level of resistance to the antibiotic cefixime, which has traditionally been the drug of choice.The Health Protection Agency says the results reveal a "very real threat" that the sexually transmitted disease - which, since the advent of penicillin 70 years ago, has been easy to treat - may become untreatable in the future.Prescribers are now advised to use a combination of two drugs: ceftriaxone (500mg), which is given via intramuscular injection, and oral azithromycin (1g). "Many patients may feel anxious about having an injection, but this is now the best way of avoiding treatment failure. Patients who refuse the jab will be offered oral antibiotics instead," said HPA gonorrhoea expert Cathy Ison.