Non-penicillinase producing Neisseria Gonnorhoeae: are they still in existence in Ibadan, Nigeria?

Abstract

In an attempt to evaluate the current prevalence rate of penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) and whether non-PPNG strains are still in existence in Ibadan, Nigeria, all isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from patients that attended our clinic between January and December 1997 were studied. Of the 155 patients that had gonococcal infections, 118 were male (76.1%) and 37 (23.9%) were female with 31 (83.8%) being the partners of infected men. Sixty-four (54.2%) of the male and 19 (51.4%) of the female were aged between 20 and29 years while 21.2% of the male and 16.2% of the female were in the age of 40 and above. The sex difference is not statistically significant (X2= 1.47, P=0.69). The present study revealed that non-PPNG strains have reduced considerably to 5.4% from 100% in 1977. This has posed a great threat to the usefulness of penicillin and ampicillin as the drugs of choice in gonococcal therapy in Nigeria.