Treatment of acute gonococcal urethritis in Bangkok, Thailand.

In most areas of the world, Neisseria gonorrhoeae has become increasingly less sensitive to antimicrobials, both in vitro and in vivo, as discussed by Willcox (1970), Martin, Lester, Price, and Schmale (1970), and Sparling (1972). Because of this trend, the doses of penicillin necessary to obtain satisfactory cure rates have greatly increased. The current recommendation by the Venereal Diseases Branch of the U.S. Public Health Service (1972) includes a penicillin injection volume which may be limiting because of local pain. Throughout the Far East, the frequency of gonococcal strains with reduced antimicrobial sensitivity has been high for many years and has tended to increase, as Willcox (1970) and Reyn (1969) have reported. Thus, the problems experienced elsewhere in establishing adequate treatment regimens for gonorrhoea have been even greater in South-East Asia. We report here the studies conducted to establish effective treatment schedules for gonorrhoea in Bangkok, Thailand. These studies may be relevant to other areas in the Far East and to certain groups in the United States.