Evaluation of Tetracycline Phosphate Complex and Other Antibiotics in Treatment of Gonorrhea in Males

More than 4,400 male patients with acute gonorrheal urethritis were treated at the Fulton County Health Department, Atlanta, Ga., on 18 research schedules using 11 different antibiotic preparations from March 1960 through August 1961. During a 2-week post-treatment observation period, treatment failures by schedule ranged from 3.4 to 29.4 percent. The most effective drug evaluated was oral phosphate potentiated tetracycline. In a 3-gram dosage (500 mg. every 4 hours) the failure rates were 3.4 and 3.6 percent respectively with and without the addition of amphotericin B to the preparation. In a single 1.5-gram dose the failure rate was 5.7 percent. No complaints of side effects were registered by 1,136 patients treated with this drug. Although the phosphate potentiated tetracycline proved superior to the other drugs studied, its cost at present may limit its use. The most effective intramuscular preparations administered in a single injection included chloramphenicol (1 gram), benzathine penicillin G (1,200,000 units), streptomycin (2 grams), and aqueous procaine penicillin G (1,200,000 units), with failure rates of 6.5, 7.0, 8.3, and 8.4 percent respectively.