Gentamicin 240 mg plus azithromycin 2 g vs. ceftriaxone 500 mg plus azithromycin 2 g for treatment of rectal and pharyngeal gonorrhoea: a randomized controlled trial

Managing treatment failure in Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection: current guidelines and future directions

Due to the continued emergence of resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics, clinicians are increasingly more likely to encounter cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae treatment failure. The current international treatment guidelines offer few regimens for cases of N gonorrhoeae infection that do not respond to first-line therapy, and there are many complexities that should be considered with such regimens; these include regional variations in resistance to alternative agents, access to different antibiotics, and penetration of those antibiotics within different tissues. Further, such regimens do not account for the challenges of treating pharyngeal infections; many patients who have not responded to treatment with extended-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotics to date have had pharyngeal involvement. In addition, pharyngeal infections play a pivotal role in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in N gonorrhoeae and are more difficult to treat than urogenital infections because of the unfavourable pharmacokinetics of cephalosporins in pharyngeal tissues. Here, we summarise the current guidelines, provide additional approaches and considerations for clinicians, and highlight knowledge gaps that should be addressed to ensure appropriate therapy in cases of treatment failure.

Single-dose cefixime 800 mg plus doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7 days compared with single-dose ceftriaxone 1 g plus single-dose azithromycin 2 g for treatment of urogenital, rectal, and pharyngeal gonorrhoea: a randomised clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a single dose of oral cefixime 800 mg plus oral doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 7 days, compared with a recommended single dose of ceftriaxone plus single dose of oral azithromycin, for treatment of uncomplicated urogenital, rectal, or pharyngeal gonorrhoea.

METHODS

A noninferiority, open-label, multicentre randomized controlled trial was conducted in Prague, Czech Republic. Some 161 patients, 18-65 years of age diagnosed with uncomplicated urogenital, rectal, or pharyngeal gonorrhoea by nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) were randomized to treatment with single dose of cefixime 800 mg plus doxycycline 100 mg twice a day for 1 week or a single dose of ceftriaxone 1 g intramuscularly plus single dose of azithromycin 2 g. The primary outcome was the number of participants with negative culture and NAAT at 1 week and 3 weeks, respectively, after treatment initiation.

RESULTS

In all, 161 patients were randomized and 152 were included in per-protocol analyses. All 76 (100%; 95% CI, 0.95-1.00) patients treated with ceftriaxone plus azithromycin achieved negative cultures and NAAT after treatment. In the cefixime plus doxycycline arm at week 1, culture was negative in all 76 (100%) patients; at week 3, culture was negative in 70 of the 76 patients (92%; 95% CI, 0.84-0.97) and NAAT negative in 66 of the 76 patients (87%; 95% CI, 0.77-0.94). At week 3, culture and NAAT were negative in 65 of the 76 patients (86%; 95% CI, 0.76-0.93). Per-protocol risk difference was 14.5%; 95% CI, 6.56-22.38. All treatment failures observed in the cefixime arm were pharyngeal gonorrhoea cases.

DISCUSSION

The combination of cefixime and doxycycline did not achieve noninferiority to ceftriaxone and azithromycin for treatment of gonorrhoea when including pharyngeal gonorrhoea. It did, however, show high efficacy for urogenital and rectal gonorrhoea.

Economic evaluation of antimicrobial resistance in curable sexually transmitted infections; a systematic review and a case study

OBJECTIVE

To provide a summary of the economic and methodological evidence on capturing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) associated costs for curable sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To explore approaches for incorporating the cost of AMR within an economic model evaluating different treatment strategies for gonorrhoea, as a case study.

METHODS

A systematic review protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022298232). MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, International Health Technology Assessment Database, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and EconLit databases were searched up to August 2022. Included studies were analysed, quality assessed and findings synthesised narratively. Additionally, an economic evaluation which incorporated AMR was undertaken using a decision tree model and primary data from a randomised clinical trial comparing gentamicin therapy with standard treatment (ceftriaxone). AMR was incorporated into the evaluation using three approaches-integrating the additional costs of treating resistant infections, conducting a threshold analysis, and accounting for the societal cost of resistance for the antibiotic consumed.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included in the systematic review with the majority focussed on AMR in gonorrhoea. The cost of ceftriaxone resistant gonorrhoea and the cost of ceftriaxone sparing strategies were significant and related to the direct medical costs from persistent gonorrhoea infections, sequelae of untreated infections, gonorrhoea attributable-HIV transmission and AMR testing. However, AMR definition, the collection and incorporation of AMR associated costs, and the perspectives adopted were inconsistent or limited. Using the review findings, different approaches were explored for incorporating AMR into an economic evaluation comparing gentamicin to ceftriaxone for gonorrhoea treatment. Although the initial analysis showed that ceftriaxone was the cheaper treatment, gentamicin became cost-neutral if the clinical efficacy of ceftriaxone reduced from 98% to 92%. By incorporating societal costs of antibiotic use, gentamicin became cost-neutral if the cost of ceftriaxone treatment increased from £4.60 to £8.44 per patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Inclusion of AMR into economic evaluations may substantially influence estimates of cost-effectiveness and affect subsequent treatment recommendations for gonorrhoea and other STIs. However, robust data on the cost of AMR and a standardised approach for conducting economic evaluations for STI treatment which incorporate AMR are lacking, and requires further developmental research.

Whole genome analysis and antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Ghana

Introduction

Gonorrhoea is a major public health concern. With the global emergence and spread of resistance to last-line antibiotic treatment options, gonorrhoea threatens to be untreatable in the future. Therefore, this study performed whole genome characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae collected in Ghana to identify lineages of circulating strains as well as their phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles.

Methods

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 56 isolates using both the Oxford Nanopore MinION and Illumina MiSeq sequencing platforms. The Comprehensive Antimicrobial Resistance Database (CARD) and PUBMLST.org/neisseria databases were used to catalogue chromosomal and plasmid genes implicated in AMR. The core genome multi-locus sequence typing (cgMLST) approach was used for comparative genomics analysis.

Results and Discussion

In vitro resistance measured by the E-test method revealed 100%, 91.0% and 85.7% resistance to tetracycline, penicillin and ciprofloxacin, respectively. A total of 22 sequence types (STs) were identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), with ST-14422 (n = 10), ST-1927 (n = 8) and ST-11210 (n = 7) being the most prevalent. Six novel STs were also identified (ST-15634, 15636-15639 and 15641). All isolates harboured chromosomal AMR determinants that confer resistance to beta-lactam antimicrobials and tetracycline. A single cefixime-resistant strain, that belongs to N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence type (NG-MAST) ST1407, a type associated with widespread cephalosporin resistance was identified. Neisseria gonorrhoeae Sequence Typing for Antimicrobial Resistance (NG-STAR), identified 29 unique sequence types, with ST-464 (n = 8) and the novel ST-3366 (n = 8) being the most prevalent. Notably, 20 of the 29 STs were novel, indicative of the unique nature of molecular AMR determinants in the Ghanaian strains. Plasmids were highly prevalent: pTetM and pblaTEM were found in 96% and 92% of isolates, respectively. The TEM-135 allele, which is an amino acid change away from producing a stable extended-spectrum β-lactamase that could result in complete cephalosporin resistance, was identified in 28.5% of the isolates. Using WGS, we characterized N. gonorrhoeae strains from Ghana, giving a snapshot of the current state of gonococcal AMR in the country and highlighting the need for constant genomic surveillance.

Protective effect of empagliflozin on gentamicin-induced acute renal injury via regulation of SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway

Gentamicin is a highly effective antibiotic. However, its major complication is nephrotoxicity. This study investigated the beneficial effects of empagliflozin against gentamicin-induced nephropathy. Kidney damage was induced in male Wistar rats by administration of gentamicin (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) for 8 days. Two doses of empagliflozin (10 and 20 mg/kg, p.o.) were concomitantly given with gentamicin for 8 days. Gentamicin administration increased serum creatinine, urea, and cystatin C concentrations. Empagliflozin in both doses ameliorated these changes via mitigation of gentamicin-induced increase in renal oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Empagliflozin added to GM treatment led to lower measured levels of TGF-B, NF-κB and caspase 3, and only the higher dose increased PAX2 levels indicating an improvement in tubular regeneration. Additionally, empagliflozin (20 mg/kg/day) markedly prevented gentamicin-induced histopathological changes. The protective effects of empagliflozin may be mediated by decreasing gentamicin concentration in renal tissue and possibly other effects like antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects.

Management of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United States: Summary of Evidence From the Development of the 2020 Gonorrhea Treatment Recommendations and the 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Sexually Transmitted Infection Treatment Guidelines

INTRODUCTION

Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to all first-line recommended therapies, making gonococcal antimicrobial resistance a major public health concern given limited antibiotic options currently and an even smaller antimicrobial development pipeline. Since the release of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines, azithromycin, part of the 2015 dual-drug treatment regimen, has had a rapid rise in resistance. The 2020 CDC Gonorrhea Treatment Recommendations and the 2021 Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Treatment Guidelines were developed weighing the priorities of treating the individual, protecting the population, and preventing antimicrobial resistance.

METHODS

Gonorrhea subject matter experts (SME) generated 8 key questions and conducted a literature review of updated data from 2013 to 2019 on gonorrhea antimicrobial resistance, treatment failures, clinical trials, and other key topics. More than 2200 abstracts were assessed, and 248 clinically relevant articles were thoroughly reviewed. SMEs also evaluated N gonorrhoeae antimicrobial resistance data from the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP).

EVIDENCE

Although there have been reports of ceftriaxone treatment failures internationally, GISP data suggest that ceftriaxone minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) have remained stable in the United States, with < 0.1% exhibiting an "alert value" MIC (> 0.25 mcg/mL). However, GISP documented a rapid rise in the proportion of isolates with an elevated MIC (≥ 2.0 mcg/mL) to azithromycin-nearly 5% in 2018. At the same time, new pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data are available, and there is greater recognition of the need for antimicrobial stewardship.

SUMMARY

The 2021 CDC STI Treatment Guidelines now recommend 500mg ceftriaxone intramuscularly once for the treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhea at all anatomic sites. If coinfection with chlamydia has not been excluded, cotreatment with doxycycline 100mg twice daily for 7 days should be added. Few alternative therapies exist for persons with cephalosporin allergies; there are no recommended alternative therapies for N gonorrhoeae infection of the throat.

Gentamicin Susceptibility in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Treatment Outcomes for Urogenital Gonorrhea After 25 Years of Sustained Gentamicin Use in Malawi

BACKGROUND

Gentamicin has been used for the treatment of gonorrhea in Malawi since 1993. However, declining clinical cure rates have been suspected. We evaluated current Neisseria gonorrhoeae susceptibility to gentamicin in vitro and clinically.

METHODS

Men with acute urethritis were recruited at the Bwaila District Hospital STI Clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi, between January 2017 and August 2019. All men provided urethral swabs for etiological testing at enrollment and test of cure (TOC), 1 week later, using Gram-stained microscopy and culture. We used Etest to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of gentamicin, azithromycin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, and spectinomycin; disc diffusion for tetracycline susceptibility; and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to verify/refute treatment failure.

RESULTS

Among 183 N. gonorrhoeae culture-positive men enrolled, 151 (82.5%) had a swab taken for TOC. Of these 151 men, 16 (10.6%) had a positive culture at TOC. One hundred forty-one baseline isolates were tested for gentamicin susceptibility using Etest: 2 (1.4%), MIC = 2 μg/mL; 111 (78.7%), MIC = 4 μg/mL; and 28 (19.9%), MIC = 8 μg/mL. All isolates were susceptible to azithromycin, cefixime, ceftriaxone, and spectinomycin, whereas 63.1% had intermediate susceptibility or resistance to ciprofloxacin. Almost all (96.1%) isolates were resistant to tetracycline. All examined isolates cultured at TOC (n = 13) had gentamicin MICs ≤8 μg/mL. Ten men had pretreatment and posttreatment isolates examined by whole-genome sequencing; 2 (20%) were verified new infections (4119 and 1272 single-nucleotide polymorphisms), whereas 8 (80%) were confirmed treatment failures (0-1 single-nucleotide polymorphism).

CONCLUSIONS

Gentamicin MICs poorly predict gonorrhea treatment outcome with gentamicin, and treatment failures are verified with gonococcal strains with in vitro susceptibility to gentamicin. The first-line treatment of gonorrhea in Malawi should be reassessed.

Modelling response strategies for controlling gonorrhoea outbreaks in men who have sex with men in Australia

The ability to treat gonorrhoea with current first-line drugs is threatened by the global spread of extensively drug resistant (XDR) Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) strains. In Australia, urban transmission is high among men who have sex with men (MSM) and importation of an XDR NG strain in this population could result in an epidemic that would be difficult and costly to control. An individual-based, anatomical site-specific mathematical model of NG transmission among Australian MSM was developed and used to evaluate the potential for elimination of an imported NG strain under a range of case-based and population-based test-and-treat strategies. When initiated upon detection of the imported strain, these strategies enhance the probability of elimination and reduce the outbreak size compared with current practice (current testing levels and no contact tracing). The most effective strategies combine testing targeted at regular and casual partners with increased rates of population testing. However, even with the most effective strategies, outbreaks can persist for up to 2 years post-detection. Our simulations suggest that local elimination of imported NG strains can be achieved with high probability using combined case-based and population-based test-and-treat strategies. These strategies may be an effective means of preserving current treatments in the event of wider XDR NG emergence.

In most high-income settings, gonorrhoea is endemic among men who have sex with men (MSM). While gonorrhoea remains readily treatable with antibiotics, there are major concerns about the threat of antimicrobial resistance arising from recent reports of treatment failure with first-line therapy and limited remaining treatment options. Here we investigated the potential for test-and-treat response strategies to eliminate such strains before their prevalence reaches a level requiring a shift to new first line therapies. Rather than directly consider resistance, we explore the mitigating effect of various test-and-treat measures on outbreaks of a generic imported strain which remains treatable. This is done within the framework of a realistic mathematical model of gonorrhoea spread in an MSM community that captures cases, anatomical sites of infection and sexual contacts at an individual level, calibrated to relevant Australian epidemiological data. The results indicate that strategies such as partner testing and treatment in combination with elevated asymptomatic community testing are highly effective in mitigating outbreaks but can take up to 2 years to achieve elimination. As there are currently no clear alternative drugs of proven efficacy and safety to replace ceftriaxone in first-line therapy, these promising results suggest potential for use of these outbreak response strategies to preserve current treatment recommendations.

Treatment efficacy for rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Rectal gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection with increasing antimicrobial resistance requiring optimization of available treatments.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of current treatments, previously trialled treatments and new emerging treatments for rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG).

METHODS

Online bibliographic databases were search from 1 January 1946 to 14 August 2020. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with rectal NG data among participants aged 15 years or above and published in English were included. Random effects meta-analyses were used to estimate overall treatment efficacy, defined as microbiological cure. Sub-group analyses included stratifying by diagnostic assay, by dual versus monotherapy, and by currently recommended treatments (e.g. ceftriaxone ± azithromycin) versus previously trialled but not recommended treatments (e.g. amoxicillin) versus emerging treatments (e.g. zoliflodacin). The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020202998).

RESULTS

54 studies including 1813 participants and 44 treatment regimens were identified. The overall summary treatment efficacy for rectal NG was 100.0% (95% CI: 99.9%-100.0%; I2 = 0.0%; P = 0.86). Efficacy estimates for monotherapies (100.0%; 95% CI: 99.88%-100.0%; I2 = 0.00%; P = 0.97) and dual therapies (100.0%; 95% CI: 97.65%-100.0%; I2 = 56.24%; P = 0.03) were similar. Efficacy was highest for current treatments (100.00%; 95% CI: 99.96%-100.00%; I2 = 0.00%; P = 0.98) versus emerging treatments (97.16%; 95% CI: 86.79%-100.00%; I2 = 0.00%; P = 0.84). There were no trials exclusively investigating rectal NG and small sample size was a limitation in most trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently recommended treatments containing ceftriaxone, as mono or dual therapy, are effective. Emerging drugs such as zoliflodacin may be potentially useful for rectal NG but further data are needed.

Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021

These guidelines for the treatment of persons who have or are at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were updated by CDC after consultation with professionals knowledgeable in the field of STIs who met in Atlanta, Georgia, June 11–14, 2019. The information in this report updates the 2015 guidelines. These guidelines discuss 1) updated recommendations for treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis; 2) addition of metronidazole to the recommended treatment regimen for pelvic inflammatory disease; 3) alternative treatment options for bacterial vaginosis; 4) management of Mycoplasma genitalium; 5) human papillomavirus vaccine recommendations and counseling messages; 6) expanded risk factors for syphilis testing among pregnant women; 7) one-time testing for hepatitis C infection; 8) evaluation of men who have sex with men after sexual assault; and 9) two-step testing for serologic diagnosis of genital herpes simplex virus. Physicians and other health care providers can use these guidelines to assist in prevention and treatment of STIs.

Epidemiology, Treatments, and Vaccine Development for Antimicrobial-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Current Strategies and Future Directions

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection in the world after Chlamydia trachomatis. The pathogen has developed resistance to every antibiotic currently approved for treatment, and multidrug-resistant strains have been identified globally. The current treatment recommended by the World Health Organization is ceftriaxone and azithromycin dual therapy. However, resistance to azithromycin and ceftriaxone are increasing and treatment failures have been reported. As a result, there is a critical need to develop novel strategies for mitigating the spread of antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae through improved diagnosis and treatment of resistant infections. Strategies that are currently being pursued include developing molecular assays to predict resistance, utilizing higher doses of ceftriaxone, repurposing older antibiotics, and developing newer agents. In addition, efforts to discover a vaccine for N. gonorrhoeae have been reignited in recent years with the cross-protectivity provided by the N. meningitidis vaccine, with several new strategies and targets. Despite the significant progress that has been made, there is still much work ahead to combat antimicrobial-resistant N. gonorrhoeae globally.

Comparison of gentamicin MICs by agar dilution and Etest for clinical isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae

BACKGROUND

In South Africa, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) is the predominant cause of male urethritis syndrome (MUS). The national MUS treatment guidelines recommend gentamicin as salvage therapy for ceftriaxone treatment failures. We ascertained and compared gentamicin MICs obtained by agar dilution and Etest for clinical isolates of NG.

METHODS

Gentamicin MICs for NG culture isolates obtained from 272 MUS cases in 2017 were determined using agar dilution, as per CLSI agar dilution methods, and Etest® (bioMérieux, Marcy-l'Étoile, France). Previously published interpretive criteria were used: MIC ≤4 mg/L, susceptible (S); MIC 8-16 mg/L, intermediately resistant (IR); and MIC ≥32 mg/L, resistant (R). WHO 2008 NG reference strains were used as comparison standards.

RESULTS

Gentamicin agar dilution versus Etest MIC results (mg/L) were as follows: MIC50 = 16 versus 4; MIC90 = 16 versus 8; minimum MIC = 4 versus 1; and maximum MIC = 32 versus 16. Interpretive categories for agar dilution versus Etest were as follows: S, 4.4% versus 86.8%; IR, 86.0% versus 13.4%; and R, 9.6% versus 0%. The gentamicin MIC50 by agar dilution was significantly higher than by Etest (sign test P value <0.001); overall MIC agreement was 7.4% [kappa statistic (κ) = -0.014 (95% CI -0.039 to 0.010)]. Correlation with expected MICs for WHO reference strains was consistently better with Etest than with agar dilution.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a significant discordance between NG gentamicin MICs by agar dilution versus Etest. NG gentamicin AST methodology must be standardized and interpretive criteria established to optimize the monitoring of susceptibility trends.

Treatment efficacy for pharyngeal Neisseria gonorrhoeae: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Rising gonorrhoea rates require highly effective treatments to reduce transmission and prevent development of antimicrobial resistance. Currently the most effective treatments for pharyngeal gonorrhoea remain unclear. This review aimed to estimate treatment efficacy for pharyngeal gonorrhoea.

METHODS

Online bibliographic databases were searched for the period 1 January 2000 to 17 September 2019 for treatments of gonorrhoea. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with data on pharyngeal gonorrhoea among participants aged 15 years or above, published in English, were included. Meta-analyses (random effects) were used to estimate the treatment efficacy, defined as microbiological cure, among currently recommended monotherapies and dual therapies, previously recommended but no longer used regimens and emerging drugs under evaluation. Side effects were also summarized. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020149278).

RESULTS

There were nine studies that included 452 participants studying 19 treatment regimens. The overall treatment efficacy for pharyngeal gonorrhoea was 98.1% (95% CI: 93.8%-100%; I2 = 57.3%; P < 0.01). Efficacy was similar for single (97.1%; 95% CI: 90.8%-100.0%; I2 = 15.6%; P = 0.29) and dual therapies (98.0%; 95% CI: 91.4%-100%; I2 = 79.1%; P < 0.01). Regimens containing azithromycin 2 g or ceftriaxone were similarly efficacious. The summary efficacy estimate for emerging drugs was 88.8% (95% CI: 76.9%-97.5%; I2 = 11.2%; P = 0.34). Small sample sizes in each trial was a major limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Regimens containing ceftriaxone or azithromycin 2 g, alone or as part of dual therapies are the most efficacious for pharyngeal gonorrhoea. Further pharyngeal-specific RCTs with adequate sample sizes are needed.

Background review for the '2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults'

Gonorrhoea is a major public health concern globally. Increasing incidence and sporadic ceftriaxone-resistant cases, including treatment failures, are growing concerns. The 2020 European gonorrhoea guideline provides up-to-date evidence-based guidance regarding the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea. The updates and recommendations emphasize significantly increasing gonorrhoea incidence; broad indications for increased testing with validated and quality-assured nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and culture; dual antimicrobial therapy including high-dose ceftriaxone and azithromycin (ceftriaxone 1 g plus azithromycin 2 g) OR ceftriaxone 1 g monotherapy (ONLY in well-controlled settings, see guideline for details) for uncomplicated gonorrhoea when the antimicrobial susceptibility is unknown; recommendation of test of cure (TOC) in all gonorrhoea cases to ensure eradication of infection and identify resistance; and enhanced surveillance of treatment failures when recommended treatment regimens have been used. Improvements in access to appropriate testing, test performance, diagnostics, antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance and treatment, and follow-up of gonorrhoea patients are essential in controlling gonorrhoea and to mitigate the emergence and/or spread of ceftriaxone resistance and multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant gonorrhoea. This review provides the detailed background, evidence base and discussions, for the 2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults (Unemo M, et al. Int J STD AIDS. 2020).

2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults

Gonorrhoea is a major public health concern globally. Increasing incidence and sporadic ceftriaxone-resistant cases, including treatment failures, are growing concerns. The 2020 European gonorrhoea guideline provides up-to-date evidence-based guidance regarding the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea. The updates and recommendations emphasize significantly increasing gonorrhoea incidence; broad indications for increased testing with validated and quality-assured nucleic acid amplification tests and culture; dual antimicrobial therapy including high-dose ceftriaxone and azithromycin (ceftriaxone 1 g plus azithromycin 2 g) OR ceftriaxone 1 g monotherapy (ONLY in well-controlled settings, see guideline for details) for uncomplicated gonorrhoea when the antimicrobial susceptibility is unknown; recommendation of test of cure (TOC) in all gonorrhoea cases to ensure eradication of infection and identify resistance; and enhanced surveillance of treatment failures when recommended treatment regimens have been used. Improvements in access to appropriate testing, test performance, diagnostics, antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance and treatment, and follow-up of gonorrhoea patients are essential in controlling gonorrhoea and to mitigate the emergence and/or spread of ceftriaxone resistance and multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant gonorrhoea. For detailed background, evidence base and discussions, see the background review for the present 2020 European guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of gonorrhoea in adults (Unemo M, et al. Int J STD AIDS. 2020).

Safety of Single-Dose Oral Cefixime, Intramuscular Ceftriaxone, or Intramuscular Gentamicin for the Treatment of Gonorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the incidence and types of adverse effects between 3 recommended treatment options for gonorrhea and to compare the incidence of injection site pain between single-dose intramuscular ceftriaxone and gentamicin.

DATA SOURCES

A keyword search of MEDLINE (1966 to September 2020), EMBASE (1947 to September 2020), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970 to September 2020) was conducted. The electronic search was supplemented with manual screening of references.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Comparator studies reporting adverse effect outcomes of treatment with cefixime, ceftriaxone, or gentamicin for gonorrhea in humans were included. Data extracted included study year, authors, aim, setting, population, dosing protocols, and outcome results.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 298 articles were identified, of which 6 met inclusion criteria. Two randomized controlled trials compared ceftriaxone and gentamicin. Four randomized controlled trials compared cefixime and ceftriaxone. No differences were noted for the occurrence of at least 1 adverse effect between gentamicin and ceftriaxone (odds ratio [OR] = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.56-1.18) or between cefixime and ceftriaxone (OR = 1.11; 95% CI = 0.21-5.93). Injection site pain (ceftriaxone and gentamicin) and other adverse effects (all drugs) were common but occurred at similar rates between groups.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Results of this review show a lack of signal for safety concerns with gentamicin-based regimens for the treatment of gonorrhea. Future research should investigate patient acceptability, especially for intramuscular injections.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of single-dose cefixime, ceftriaxone, and gentamicin-based regimens for treatment of gonorrhea appears to be safe and acceptable for use in practice.

The Use of Gentamicin for Treatment of Urogenital and Extragenital Gonorrhea: A Systematic Review of Efficacy Data

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate clinical efficacy data for gentamicin in the treatment of gonorrhea.

DATA SOURCES

A keyword search of PubMed (1966 to April 2020), EMBASE (1947 to April 2020), and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970 to April 2020) was conducted. The electronic search was supplemented with manual screening of references from identified articles and a search of ClinicalTrials.gov to identify ongoing trials.

STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION

Comparator and noncomparator studies reporting microbiological outcomes of treatment with gentamicin for gonorrhea in humans were included. Data extracted included study year, authors, aim, setting, population, dosing protocols, and outcome results. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 407 articles were identified, of which 11 met inclusion criteria. Two studies were randomized controlled trials, and 1 additional randomized noncomparator study was identified. All other studies were nonrandomized and noncomparator in nature. The highest quality evidence suggests that gentamicin is not noninferior to ceftriaxone (both in addition to azithromycin) for treatment of gonorrhea but may achieve cure rates >90%. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the efficacy of gentamicin-based regimens for the specific treatment of extragenital gonorrhea.

RELEVANCE TO PATIENT CARE AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Results of this review could affect patient care and clinical practice because they clearly demonstrate the role of gentamicin for the treatment of gonorrhea as a second-line agent. Future research should confirm findings, especially for the role of gentamicin in extragenital infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Gentamicin-based regimens should be reserved for second-line treatment of urogenital and extragenital gonorrhea infections.