What is the recommended treatment for gonorrhea?

The recommended treatment for gonorrhea is a single dose of ceftriaxone 250 mg administered intramuscularly. This guideline is based on the fact that ceftriaxone is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic effective against Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacterium responsible for gonorrhea. The current treatment recommendations from health authorities emphasize the importance of using ceftriaxone due to increasing resistance patterns in this pathogen.

Ceftriaxone is often used in combination with azithromycin to cover potential co-infection with Chlamydia trachomatis; however, in the context of the specific choice provided, the single administration of ceftriaxone 250 mg IM stands as the cornerstone of gonorrhea treatment.

While azithromycin can be used for certain types of bacterial infections, its efficacy against gonorrhea specifically has diminished due to resistance, making it less reliable as a monotherapy. Amoxicillin is not typically used for gonorrhea treatment due to ineffective results in such infections. Ciprofloxacin has also fallen out of favor in the treatment of gonorrhea due to concerns over resistance, similar to azithromycin.

Thus, the choice of ceftriaxone reflects current