DNA or RNA sequences using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Many also test for chlamydia
Useful in urethral, cervical, and urine specimens
Pharyngeal/rectal cultures for local symptoms in high-risk individuals
DGI:
Synovial fluid analysis:
Neutrophilic leukocytosis, >50,000 cells/mm 3
Positive cultures when >80,000 cells/mm 3
2 or more sets of blood cultures
Synovial, skin, urethral or cervical, and rectal cultures:
Thayer-Martin media
PID/lower abdominal pain in female:
CBC
Urinalysis
Pregnancy test
Consider pelvic ultrasound for tubo-ovarian abscess
Rapid plasma reagin (RPR): For associated syphilis
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Urethritis:
Chlamydia
Trichomonas
UTI
Syphilis
DGI:
Bacterial arthritis:
Meningococcus (rash)
Hepatitis B
Connective tissue disease:
Reiter syndrome
Rheumatoid arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis
Acute rheumatic fever:
Poststreptococcal arthritis
Infective endocarditis
Others:
HIV
Secondary syphilis
Viral infection
Lyme disease (rash)
Gout (arthritis)
TREATMENT ED TREATMENT/PROCEDURES
Hydration (0.9% NS) for nausea/vomiting
Treat sexual partner. For expedited partner therapy jurisdiction – www.cdc.gov/std/ept
Patient with gonorrhea should often be presumptively treated for chlamydial infection.
Cervical, urethral, and anorectal infection:
Ceftriaxone: 250 mg IM once OR
Also treat for chlamydia:
Azithromycin: 1 g PO once OR
Doxycycline: 100 mg PO BID for 7 days
PID:
Outpatient:
Ceftriaxone: 250 mg IM once or cefoxitin 2 g IM and probenecid 1 g PO once or another 3rd-generation cephalosporin (ceftizoxime or cefotaxime) + doxycycline 100 mg BID for 14 days with or without metronidazole 500 mg PO BID for 14 days
Inpatient:
Cefoxitin 2 g IV q6h or cefotetan 2 g IV q12h + doxycycline 100 mg PO or IV q12h
Clindamycin 900 mg IV q8h + gentamicin loading dose (2 mg/kg) followed by (1.5 mg/kg) q8h or 3–5 mg/kg q24h
Pharyngitis:
Ceftriaxone 250 mg IM single dose + treatment for chlamydia
Epididymitis:
Ceftriaxone 250 mg IM once + doxycycline 100 mg BID for 10 days
Treat sexual partner
DGI:
Ceftriaxone: 1 g IV/IM daily (recommended)
Cefotaxime: 1 g IV q8h OR
Ceftizoxime: 1 g IV q8h OR
24–48 hr after improvement, additional 7 days with:
Cefixime: 400 mg PO BID OR
Cefpodoxime: 400 mg PO BID
Neonates, incl. gonococcal scalp abscess
Ceftriaxone 25–50 mg/kg/d IV/IM for 7 days OR
If hyperbilirubinemia-Cefotaxime 25 mg/kg IV/IM q12h for 7 days
Conjunctivitis:
Adults:
Ceftriaxone 1 g IM once
Ophthalmia neonatorum:
Ceftriaxone 25–50 mg/kg IM/IV once
Saline irrigation, hospitalize
Meningitis/endocarditis:
Ceftriaxone 1–2 g IV q12h:
10–14 days for meningitis
At least 4 wk for endocarditis
Severe cephalosporin allergy:
Consult infectious disease
Cephalosporin use postdesensitization best alternative
Azithromycin 2 g PO for uncomplicated gonococcal infection: