Abstract

In a comparative trial minocycline was the best oral tetracycline compound for twice-daily administration in the treatment of non-specific urethritis. A review six months later showed that 29% of patients had needed further treatment, 35% of these more than one month after initial treatment and 12% between three and six months later. The history revealed no evidence of predisposition to non-specific urethritis among patients in whom relapse occurred. Multiple relapses were in the groups of patients who relapsed earliest. These cases proved more resistant to subsequent treatment, but all patients were eventually cured. The records of female contacts showed that 29% were symptomatic, 44% had an abnormal appearance of the cervix, but only 11% had inflammatory changes detected on cytological smear. A previous report was confirmed that there was no apparent benefit from the empirical treatment of contacts; possible reasons for this are given.