Fleroxacin versus standard therapy in gonococcal urethritis

Eighty male patients with gonococcal urethritis were randomly allocated to receive, in an open study, either a single oral 400 mg dose of fleroxacin, or, as standard therapy, a single intramuscular dose of 2.4 million units of penicillin G plus 1.0 g of probenecid orally. Microbiological analysis of the urethral smear and complete physical examination with blood and midstream urine samples was carried out before and after therapy (day 7 or 8). Urethral Neisseria gonorrhoeae was the only pathogen in 50 patients while 29 presented with mixed infections of both N. gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis. In one case, the culture was not positive for either of the pathogens. N. gonorrhoeae was eradicated by both regimens in all 78 evaluable patients. However, the 29 patients with mixed infections remained clinically symptomatic and still showed C. trachomatis irrespective of the treatment regimen. Two patients failed to return for follow-up. No adverse reactions were reported.