title: Epidemiology of gonorrhoea-related hospitalisations in Spain between 1997 and 2006.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence of gonorrhoea has increased worldwide in the last few years. Gonorrhoea is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the world, and is a serious public health problem because of its associated morbidity and complications. The objective of this study was to estimate the frequency of gonorrhoea-related hospitalisations in Spain between the years 1997 and 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted using data from the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (Minimum Data Set [MDS]), where all of the gonorrhoea-related hospitalisations that occurred in Spain during this period were analysed. We calculated the general hospitalisation rates, mortality, case-fatality rate, and length of stay by gender and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the course of the study, 928 hospitalisations occurred with a discharge diagnosis of gonorrhoea infection (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification: ICD 9 CM 098.0-098.89 at any diagnostic position), which represented a hospitalisation rate of 0.23 per 100,000 population, a mortality rate of 0.008 per 100,000 population, and a case-fatality of 3.77%. The main suspected causes of death were staphylococcal and streptococcal infections, malignant neoplasm and chronic diseases. The greatest hospitalisation rate was observed in children between the ages of 0 and 4years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The gonorrhoea-related hospitalisation rate in Spain remained constant during the period of the study. A better understanding of the epidemiology of gonorrhoea will allow for the creation of effective preventive measures that will lead to a reduction in the number of new infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health and Medical Immunology and Microbiology, Rey Juan Carlos University, Avda. Atenas s/n., 28922 Madrid, Spain. mc.ariza@alumnos.urjc.es
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ariza-Mejía
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.forename: Alba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Escalada
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Álvaro-Meca
authors.forename: Ángel
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Gil-de-Miguel
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gil-Prieto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017052:Hospital Mortality / Q000639:trends; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult