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Neisseria gonorrhoeae, originally sensitive to penicillin, has developed resistance to numerous antimicrobial agents. In recent years, a single 2-g dose of azithromycin has been used to treat N. gonorrhoeae infections in patients with cephalosporin allergy, and dual therapy with 1 g of this drug plus a cephalosporin has been recommended as a routine approach. Now, the CDC reports the emergence of N. gonorrhoeae with reduced susceptibility to azithromycin.
From January 1992 through July 2009, only 39 (0.04%) of 87,566 N. gonorrhoeae isolates tested had minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ≥8 µg/mL, indicating reduced susceptibility. None of these 39 isolates came from San Diego County, California. From August through October 2009, 5 (9.1%…