Epidemiology and treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhoea caused by non-PPNG strains in Córdoba, Argentina: auxotypes, susceptibility profiles, and plasmid analyses of urethral isolates from men.

The official records of uncomplicated gonorrhoea for Córdoba state show that between 1975 and 1985, about one in 1000 sexually active people acquired gonorrhoea each year. A study was therefore undertaken to obtain information about treatment of uncomplicated gonorrhoea, as well as the nutritional requirements, plasmid analyses, and susceptibility profiles of gonococci in this geographical area. From August 1983 to April 1984, 219 men with uncomplicated gonorrhoea were treated with one of four antibiotic schedules, all of which were over 95% efficient. All 98 strains isolated and purified were non-penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (non-PPNG). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of benzylpenicillin, tetracycline, thiamphenicol, spectinomycin, kanamycin, and cefoxitin were assessed. The MIC of benzylpenicillin showed that 88% (86) of the strains were inhibited by 0.5 mg/l of the drug, and also showed a bimodal sensitivity pattern to that antibiotic. The nutritional requirements of the 62 strains tested showed that 53% (33) were of the non-requiring (wild type) auxotype, 42% (26) required proline (pro-) and 5% (3) required proline and arginine (pro- arg-). Resistance to antibiotics was more notable in the pro- than in the wild type strains.