Surveillance of antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the WHO Western Pacific Region, 1999. The WHO Western Pacific Region Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme

Abstract

A long-term programme of surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Region Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme ((WHO WPR GASP) continued in 1999. Over 10,000 gonococci were examined in 18 focal centres. Resistance to the quinolones and penicillins was already high in many parts of the Western Pacific Region and increased further in most centres, the exceptions being a number of Pacific Island States. Although resistance to the later generation cephalosporins was absent, and that to spectinomycin infrequent, options for effective treatment of gonorrhoea in the Western Pacific Region continue to be limited.