Verified clinical failure with cefotaxime 1g for treatment of gonorrhoea in the Netherlands: a case report

We describe the first case of treatment failure of gonorrhoea with a third generation cephalosporin, cefotaxime 1g intramuscularly, in the Netherlands. The case was from a high-frequency transmitting population (men having sex with men) and was caused by the internationally spreading multidrug-resistant gonococcal NG-MAST ST1407 clone. The patient was clinically cured after treatment with ceftriaxone 500 mg intramuscularly and this is the only third generation cephalosporin that should be used for first-line empiric treatment of gonorrhoea. Increased awareness of failures with third generation cephalosporins, enhanced monitoring and appropriate verification of treatment failures including more frequent test-of-cures, and strict adherence to regularly updated treatment guidelines are essential globally.