T Berglund1, H Fredlund, J Giesecke. 1. Unit for Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Molecular and Tumour Biology Center, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. torsten.berglund@smi.ki.se
Abstract
BACKGROUND: After many years of decline, the incidence of gonorrhea in Sweden reached an all-time low of 2.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 1996; however, the incidence has been increasing since 1997. GOAL: To describe the reemergence of gonorrhea in Sweden using clinical epidemiologic data and microbiologic characterization of isolated strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. STUDY DESIGN: N gonorrhoeae strains isolated in Sweden from February 1998 to January 1999 were serotyped and an epidemiologic data questionnaire was sent to each clinician reporting a case of gonorrhea. RESULTS: Epidemiologic and microbiologic data were obtained for 357 cases (91% of all cases diagnosed during the period). Domestic cases had significantly increased since 1997. Serovar IB-3 was the most common isolate in domestic cases of heterosexually exposed teenagers, and serovar IB-2 was the most frequent isolate in domestic cases of homosexually exposed men. Of the imported cases, 47% were exposed in Asia and 6.5% were exposed in Eastern Europe. CONCLUSION: The increase of gonorrhea in Sweden is due to an increase of domestic cases. Heterosexual teenagers and homosexual men were identified as core groups infected by different serovars of N gonorrhoeae.
BACKGROUND: After many years of decline, the incidence of gonorrhea in Sweden reached an all-time low of 2.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 1996; however, the incidence has been increasing since 1997. GOAL: To describe the reemergence of gonorrhea in Sweden using clinical epidemiologic data and microbiologic characterization of isolated strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. STUDY DESIGN: N gonorrhoeae strains isolated in Sweden from February 1998 to January 1999 were serotyped and an epidemiologic data questionnaire was sent to each clinician reporting a case of gonorrhea. RESULTS: Epidemiologic and microbiologic data were obtained for 357 cases (91% of all cases diagnosed during the period). Domestic cases had significantly increased since 1997. Serovar IB-3 was the most common isolate in domestic cases of heterosexually exposed teenagers, and serovar IB-2 was the most frequent isolate in domestic cases of homosexually exposed men. Of the imported cases, 47% were exposed in Asia and 6.5% were exposed in Eastern Europe. CONCLUSION: The increase of gonorrhea in Sweden is due to an increase of domestic cases. Heterosexual teenagers and homosexual men were identified as core groups infected by different serovars of N gonorrhoeae.