Monitoring
Test-of-cure requires repeating diagnostic methods to confirm that infection has cleared.
If the patient was treated with first-line treatment, no further specific follow-up is needed for test-of-cure.
Test-of-cure is indicated if a non-recommended treatment is used. Patients should be told to have re-screening in 3 months or at the first presentation in the following 3 months, because they are at risk of re-infection. Re-screening men and women with recent gonorrhoea infections every 3 to 6 months is an important method to detect new gonorrhoea infections. This is because those who have had a gonorrhoea infection are at higher risk of acquiring it again due to re-infection from the original source or from their sexual network.[75][76]
Re-testing pregnant women is recommended because of the possible morbidity related to unresolved infection. Re-testing in the third trimester is recommended in pregnant women with antenatal gonococcal infection unless recently treated.[26]
When using a nucleic acid amplification test to assess for gonorrhoea infection, it is uncertain how long a positive test may persist following treatment, but 2 to 3 weeks should be adequate.
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