Skip to main content

What antibiotics are used to treat chlamydia and gonorrhea?

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on April 1, 2024.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

From the 2015 Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) guidelines, the CDC recommends treatment for a gonorrhea-chlamydia coinfection with azithromycin (Zithromax) 1 gram given orally in a single dose, plus ceftriaxone (Rocephin) 250 mg given intramuscularly as first-line therapy.

As dual therapy, ceftriaxone and azithromycin should be administered together on the same day, preferably at the same time, and under direct observation by a health care provider.

Co-infection of gonorrhea with chlamydia can be found commonly in the community setting.

References
  1. http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/chlamydia.htm
  2. http://www.cdc.gov/std/tg2015/gonorrhea.htm

Read next

What are the best antibiotics for a tooth infection?

There are several antibiotics that kill the common mouth bacteria that cause tooth infections. The best (first-line) antibiotics for tooth infection include: Amoxicillin, Penicillin, Cephalexin, Clindamycin, Azithromycin. Amoxicillin is often the first choice because it is widely effective and has the fewest gastrointestinal side effects. Continue reading

What is the best antibiotic to treat strep throat?

Penicillin or amoxicillin are considered the best first-line treatments for Strep throat. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) “ There has never been a report of a clinical isolate of group A strep that is resistant to penicillin”. For people with a penicillin allergy, treat Strep throat with either a narrow-spectrum cephalosporin (such as cephalexin or cefadroxil), clindamycin, azithromycin, or clarithromycin. Note that resistance to azithromycin and clarithromycin has been reported. Continue reading

How long does azithromycin stay in your system?

Azithromycin will be in your system for around 15.5 days, after the last dose. Azithromycin has an elimination half-life of 68 hours. The prolonged terminal half-life is thought to be due to extensive uptake and subsequent release of drug from tissues. It takes around 5.5 x elimination half life's for a medicine to be out of your system. Continue reading

Related medical questions

Drug information

Related support groups