A Comparison of Penicillin G plus a β-Lactamase Inhibitor (Sulbactam) with Spectinomycin for Treatment of Urethritis Caused by Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae

• Published in: Sexually transmitted diseases 1984-10, Vol.11 (4), p.314-317
• Main Authors: CRIDER, STEVEN R., KILPATRICK, MICHAEL E., HARRISON, WILLIAM O., KERBS, SHARON B. J., BERG, S. WILLIAM
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; beta-Lactamase Inhibitors; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Combinations; Drug Synergism; Drug Therapy, Combination; Gonorrhea - drug therapy; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Neisseria gonorrhoeae - drug effects; Penicillanic Acid - therapeutic use; Penicillin G - therapeutic use; Penicillin G Procaine - therapeutic use; Penicillin Resistance; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Probenecid - therapeutic use; Spectinomycin - therapeutic use; Sulbactam; United States; Urethritis - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0148-5717; 1537-4521
• DOI: 10.1097/00007435-198410000-00011

When combined with penicillin, sulbactam, a β-lactamase inhibitor with weak intrinsic antibacterial activity, produces a marked synergistic effect in vitro against penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We compared a regimen of aqueous procaine penicillin G, sulbactam, and probenecid with spectinomycin for the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis. Of 101 patients receiving the penicillin-sulbactam regimen, 97 (97%) were cured of their infection, as were 87 (95%) of 92 patients who received spectinomycin. Fifty per cent of patients were infected with penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae; 43 (94%) of 46 treated with the penicillin-sulbactam regimen were cured as compared with 47 (92%) of 51 treated with spectinomycin. Neither regimen was associated with serious adverse effects. The results show that aqueous procaine penicillin G given with sulbactam and probenecid is an effective alternative for single-session therapy of urethritis caused by penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae.