title: Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among persons 14 to 39 years of age, United States, 1999 to 2008.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevalence estimates from population-based surveys do not suffer from the same biases as case-report and clinic positivity data and may be better to monitor sexually transmitted disease morbidity over time.
  
  
  METHODS
  We estimated the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a nationally representative sample of persons aged 14 to 39 years participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1999 to 2008, the overall prevalence of gonorrhea was 0.27% (95% confidence interval, 0.13%-0.47%). In the 2005 to 2006 and 2007 to 2008 cycles, prevalence approached 0% and was based on too few positive sample persons to obtain reliable estimates. In 2004, most infections were found in 1 survey location.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the low prevalence and geographic clustering of disease, gonorrhea estimates from national probability surveys are often imprecise and unstable. In 2008, gonorrhea testing in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was discontinued. Continued surveillance of gonorrhea should include case reporting and prevalence estimates from local surveys and sentinel surveillance systems.
authors: Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. ETorrone@cdc.gov
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Torrone
authors: Robert E
authors: RE
authors: Johnson
authors: Lin H
authors: LH
authors: Tian
authors: John R
authors: JR
authors: Papp
authors: S Deblina
authors: SD
authors: Datta
authors: Hillard S
authors: HS
authors: Weinstock
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology