Table 3.
Details of three failures to treat Mycoplasma genitalium urethritis with josamycin, including bacterial load in log 10 genome equivalents/mL (23S rRNA gene), symptoms and microscopy results at different visits
Patients | Sexual orientation | 0 d/t | 3 d/t | 8 d/t | 2 d/at | 10-14 d/at |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case Aa | Heterosexual | 6.4 (WT) | 4.7 (WT) | NA | 2.1 (A2059G) | 3.2 (A2059G) |
Severe urethritis symptoms, 25–30 PMNL/hpf | Less severe urethritis symptoms, 10–15 PMNL/hpf | Mild itching only, 2–3 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | ||
Case Ba | Heterosexual | 6.2 (WT) | 2.5 (WT) | 0.8 (NA) | 2.0 (A2062G) | 1.9 (A2062G) |
Severe urethritis symptoms, 60 PMNL/hpf | Less severe urethritis symptoms, 20–30 PMNL/hpf | Mild discharge and itching, 15–20 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, 10–12 PMNL/hpf | Severe urethritis symptoms, 100 PMNL/hpf | ||
Case Ca | Heterosexual | 7.2 (WT) | 7.0 (WT) | 4.3 (WT) | 5.0 (A2059G) | 7.5 (A2059G) |
Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | Asymptomatic, <5 PMNL/hpf | Severe urethritis symptoms, 40–60 PMNL/hpf |
d/t, days of treatment; d/at, days after completed therapy; WT, wild-type 23S rRNA gene sequence; NA, not assessed (specimen not available and too low concentration of M. genitalium DNA for 23S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively); PMNL/hpf, polymorphonuclear leucocytes/high power field.
aAll three patients repeatedly reassured that they had not had any unprotected sexual contacts between initiation of the josamycin treatment and test of cure. All patients were subsequently successfully treated with moxifloxacin 400 mg single oral dose daily in 10 days, which was confirmed by lack of symptoms, signs and M. genitalium DNA at follow up visit four weeks after the treatment.