Patients diagnosed with gonorrhea should be tested for which co-infection?

Patients diagnosed with gonorrhea should be tested for chlamydia due to the high rates of co-infection between these two sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The presence of one STI often indicates a higher likelihood of another, as they can be transmitted through similar sexual practices and behaviors. Approximately 50% of individuals with gonorrhea are also infected with chlamydia. Therefore, screening patients for chlamydia upon a diagnosis of gonorrhea is essential for effective management and treatment, helping to prevent complications and further transmission of infections.

In contrast, while testing for syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis is also important in the context of sexual health, these infections are not as strongly associated with gonorrhea co-infection as chlamydia. Testing for syphilis is typically performed as part of routine STI screening, but it does not share the same direct co-infection correlation. HIV and hepatitis testing is likewise important, but the focus on chlamydia reflects the immediate clinical relevance of addressing the most probable concurrent infection.