[Infections with penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae in females. Report on 24 cases]

Abstract

Between the last few weeks of 1980 and March 1985 the susceptibilities of 881 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to penicillin were tested by a simple screening method (disc diffusion test). 76.6% of the isolates were good susceptible, 17.7% moderately susceptible and 5.7% resistant to 3 units of penicillin G. Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) could be detected in 24 cases (2.7%), most of them between July 1983 and January 1984 (n = 18). 23 patients have been treated successfully with oxytetracycline. All infections had been acquired in the GDR, however, the sources of infection could be firmly traced in 6 cases only. On the basis of the results some clinical and microbiological aspects of infections with penicillin resistant gonococci are discussed.