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. 2017 Jan;23(1):102-104.
doi: 10.3201/eid2301.161205.

Frequent Transmission of Gonorrhea in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Frequent Transmission of Gonorrhea in Men Who Have Sex with Men

Christopher K Fairley et al. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

The rate of gonorrhea is much higher in men who have sex with men than in heterosexuals. Because of unique behavioral characteristics, asymptomatic sites of infection, mainly the pharynx, are principal drivers of gonorrhea prevalence in men who have sex with men. On the basis of this observation, we call for interventions.

Keywords: MSM; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; antimicrobial resistance; bacteria; gonorrhea; kissing; male homosexuality; men who have sex with men; syphilis; transmission.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
Traditional and proposed transmission models for gonorrhea in men who have sex with men (MSM). A) Generally accepted transmission routes (arrows) for gonorrhea between sites in MSM from an infected index case-patient to an uninfected sexual partner. B) Additional proposed transmission routes (dark arrows) compared with accepted transmission routes (light arrows). MSM, men who have sex with men.

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