Trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole in gonorrhoea. A comparison with privampicillin combined with probenecid

419 patients with uncomplicated gonorrhoea were treated with sulphamethoxazole 4 g. combined with trimethoprim 0-8 g. divided into two doses with an 8-hr interval. The failure rate was 1-9 per cent. Parallel with this trial, 319 patients received pivampicillin 1-4 g. combined with probenecid 1 g,; the failure rate was 0-9 per cent. Side-effects were few, four patients in the first group and one in the second group developing a rash. No recurrences were noted in nine patients treated for tonsillar gonorrhoea with the trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole schedule, while two recurrences were found in thirteen patients treated with pivampicillin-probenecid. The frequency of post-gonococcal urethritis was 7-7 per cent. in the pivampicillin-pro-benecid group against 3-4 per cent. in the trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole group, a difference which was not statistically significant.