Equivocal Test Result

[Liverpool]

I just got my test results back and it’s equivocal for gonorrhoea. I know what it means but I just want to know people’s experience with equivocal test results. If you’ve ever had one, once you’ve been retested, are they usually positive?

[rawfuckr]

On 9/11/2023 at 2:53 PM, Liverpool said:

I just got my test results back and it’s equivocal for gonorrhoea. I know what it means but I just want to know people’s experience with equivocal test results. If you’ve ever had one, once you’ve been retested, are they usually positive?

It has happened to me. Either retest later o treat as positive...

[Guest]

11 hours ago, rawfuckr said:

It has happened to me. Either retest later o treat as positive...

Exactly. If the test is inconclusive, assume you tested positive.  Here in Gran Canaria the recommended treatment for gonorrhea is a single dose of either cefixime 800 mg orally or ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly, along with a single dose of oral azithromycin 1000 mg to cover chlamydia

[rawfuckr]

12 hours ago, EuRawBull said:

Exactly. If the test is inconclusive, assume you tested positive.  Here in Gran Canaria the recommended treatment for gonorrhea is a single dose of either cefixime 800 mg orally or ceftriaxone 250 mg intramuscularly, along with a single dose of oral azithromycin 1000 mg to cover chlamydia

Personally I think treating when in doubt is always the way to go. If it was truly a + case, great you treated it, if it wasn't too bad. But it doesn't require extra visits and burden to the system and you make sure bugs are always dealt with. If you start waiting around and retesting you are gonna lose tons of people to followup and possible positives of stuff that'll spread it around.

[BootmanLA]

"Treat as positive" in such cases is excellent advice.

I'm as concerned as anyone about antibiotic-resistant bugs and the like, but they're much more a problem from systemic overuse of antibiotics than the occasional "inconclusive" test result being treated as positive.

In another thread here months ago, I mentioned having gotten a skin infection on my forehead that progressed rapidly and gave indications it might be MRSA. The doctors at the clinic immediately took the stance that it was better to assume it was and throw a heavier-duty antibiotic at it, especially since I'm poz (though undetectable). There's very little downside to treating when a test result is equivocal, and a lot of potential downside for ignoring it until it's confirmed.