Patients diagnosed with gonorrhea should also be treated for which secondary infection?

When a patient is diagnosed with gonorrhea, it is important to also treat for Chlamydia trachomatis due to the high prevalence of co-infection. Studies have shown that individuals who are infected with gonorrhea often have an associated chlamydial infection, and treating for both concurrently helps to prevent complications and further transmission.

Chlamydia can frequently be asymptomatic, so the risk of overlooking it is significant, making dual therapy a standard practice in managing gonorrhea infections. Treating only one infection while leaving the other untreated could lead to more serious health issues, including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pain.

While other conditions listed, such as chancroid, herpes genitalis, and pelvic inflammatory disease, can be associated with gonorrheal infections, they are not considered necessary secondary infections to be treated concurrently upon a diagnosis of gonorrhea. Therefore, addressing Chlamydia trachomatis during gonorrhea treatment is a vital component of patient care.