Penicillinase-Producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Results of Surveillance in the United States

Abstract

In September 1976 the Center for Disease Control (Atlanta, Georgia) initiated surveillance for cases of infection due to penicillinase-productin Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the United States. One hundred ninety-one cases of penicillinase-producing gonococcal infection were confirmed through June 30, 1977. Of 177 cases for which histories of sexual exposure were available, 69 were traced to sexual contact in the Far East, and one was traced to sexual contact in West Africa. Of 181 cases for which clinical information was available, 174 were uncomplicated anogenital infections, but local complications, such as salpingitis, epididymitis, and a Bartholin's gland abscess, were reported. Spectinomycin is the only drug now recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service for treatment of gonorrhea that is effective against uncomplicated infections due to penicillinase-producing gonococci. For these organisms, the distribution of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and spectinomycin was higher than and significantly different from the distribution of MICs for isolates of non-penicillinase-producing gonococci collected in this country. Since surveillance began the incidence of confirmed cases of penicillinase-producing gonococcal infection has decreased from 20.8 cases per month in 1976 to 16.8 cases per month in 1977.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains isolated in Hong Kong: in vitro susceptibility to 13 antibiotics

“…The older generation of cephalosporins, cephradine and cephalexin, was the least effective: 45 and 37% of the strains, respectively, required for inhibition MICs of -8 jig/ml. Cefotaxime, a new parenteral cephalosporin, was the most active; the median MIC was at least 10-fold lower than that of cefuroxime.The antibiotic susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and more recently of f8-lactamase-producing strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolated from many parts of the world, has been well documented (15,22,23 …”

“…The antibiotic susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and more recently of f8-lactamase-producing strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolated from many parts of the world, has been well documented (15,22,23 …”

“…The antibiotic susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and more recently of f8-lactamase-producing strains of N. gonorrhoeae isolated from many parts of the world, has been well documented (15,22,23). There is worldwide concern about the increasing number of gonococcal isolates showing resistance to penicillin as well as to other f8-lactam antibiotics (28).…”

Molecular and phenotypic characterization of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae from Canadian sources

“…The development of plasmid-mediated penicillin resistance in isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (1,27,30), with its subsequent worldwide prevalence (35,36), has altered our perspectives on the acquisition of other plasmid-determined antibiotic resistances in gonococci and on the treatment of gonococcal infections. The monitoring and characterization of penicillinase production in N. gonorrhoeae has shown that the penicillinase plasmids are of two distinct sizes (28, 31) and that they are closely related to plasmids from the genus Haemophilus (10,38).…”

In vitro Comparison of Disk Diffusion and Agar Dilution Antibiotic Susceptibility Test Methods for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

“…These mechanisms are plasmid or chromosome encoded. The emergence of penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae (PPNG) in 1976 has led to widespread high-level penicillin resistance (Ashford et al 1976, CDC 1976, Phillips 1976, Siegel et al 1978. Highlevel tetracycline resistance (MIC ³ 16 mg/ml) was reported for N. gonorrhoeae in 1985 by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC 1985).…”