Inactivation of gonococci by procaine penicillin in vivo. A pilot study.

A pilot study was carried out of 25 male volunteers with gonococcal urethritis. After intramuscular administration of 3 megaunits procaine penicillin and 1 g oral probenecid the urethral culture results for Neisseria gonorrhoeae remained positive up to five hours and thereafter became negative. These results may be useful in providing guidelines for advice on the duration of sexual abstinence following treatment. It is suggested that similar studies should be carried out in women.