title: The dominance of a multiresistant strain of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among prostitutes and STD patients in The Gambia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the epidemiology of antibiotic resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from sexually transmitted disease clinics in The Gambia.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixty five strains of N gonorrhoeae were tested for their antibiotic susceptibility, auxotype, serotype, and plasmid content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total population 84 (51%) were non-penicillinase producing (nonPPNG) and 81 (49%) penicillinase-producing N gonorrhoeae (PPNG). There were 16 serovars, five auxotypes and 33 auxotype/serovar (A/S) classes in the total population and the nonPPNG. Among PPNG only five serovars, two auxotypes and nine A/S classes were found. One A/S class predominated, NR/IB-7 (86 isolates), of which 66 (77%) were PPNG and the remainder were chromosomally-mediated resistant N gonorrhoeae (CMRNG). These strains also showed reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone and tetracycline and were evenly distributed among patient groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have identified a relatively homogeneous gonococcal population with a core group of isolates exhibiting high levels of antibiotic resistance.
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, St Mary's Hospital Medical School, Paddington, London, UK.
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Ison
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Pepin
authors: N S
authors: NS
authors: Roope
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Demba
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Secka
authors: C S
authors: CS
authors: Easmon
mesh_terms: D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012703:Serotyping; D011477:Sex Work; D015231:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*