Co-operative evaluation of treatment for early syphilis. Preliminary report with special reference to spectinomycin sulphate (actinospectacin).

Abstract

A cooperative study evaluating 7 schedules of treatment for early syphilis was presented. Retreat-ment was defined as treatment failure or reinfection. In the 1st year of post-treatment observation, the cumulative retreatment rate was as follows: benzathine penicillin-G, 2.4 million units - 4.6%; aqueous procaine penicillin, 4.8 million units - 5.3%; tetracycline, 30 g - 5.6%; procaine penicillin in oil with 2% aluminum monostearate, 4.8 million units - 6.2%; erythromycin, 20 g - 27.6%; spectinomycin, 32 g - 28.7%; spectinomycin, 16 g - 38.5%. Spectinomycin is an unsatisfactory drug for the treatment of syphilis and 20 g of the base form of erythromycin is inadequate therapy although 30 g would be effective. The other drugs in the dosage given were satisfactory. No serious reactions to treatment were observed among the 429 patients included in the evaluation to date.