title: Prevalence and horizontal propagation of gonococcal infections among Nigerian children.
abstract: The prevalence and mode of spread of gonococcal infections was studied among prepubertal children in Nigeria. Of 16 children with symptoms suggestive of sexually transmissible diseases (STD), 9 (56%) had gonorrhoea, while no causative organism was found in 7. The majority (7; 78%) of the gonococcal isolates produced penicillinase. Three of the cases were by child-to-child transmission, with female peers as the initiators. Prepubertal children should no longer be ignored as propagators of STD.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology Department, Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Emele
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Anyiwo
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010379:Peer Group