Antibiotic resistant N. gonorrhoeae in Trinidad and Tobago

Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand). 2001 Sep;47(6):987-95.

Abstract

We tested the susceptibility patterns of 128 N. gonorrhoeae isolates to six antimicrobials; penicillin, tetracycline, spectinomycin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin and azithromycin, and examined whether certain demographic or behavioral factors related to antibiotic use increased the likelihood of infection by a resistant strain. There was a low rate of resistance to penicillin; penicillinase-producing and chromosomal-mediated penicillin resistant gonorrhea were estimated to be 0.8%. A much higher proportion of isolates were resistant to tetracycline (up to 15%). All isolates were sensitive to spectinomycin, ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone. However, less than 2% of isolates displayed intermediate resistance to both ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone, and 9% exhibited intermediate resistance to spectinomycin. Patients who had obtained medication before attending the clinic and had taken all of the medication were more likely (p = 0.03) to be infected with a resistant strain of gonococcus. Also, patients who were asked by a clinic doctor to return for a test of cure during an earlier clinic visit, but who did not return were more likely to be infected with a resistant organism (p = 0.006) compared to those who returned at the doctor's request. These findings have important implications for antibiotic use and educational programs in Trinidad and Tobago.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Azithromycin / pharmacology
  • Ceftriaxone / pharmacology
  • Cephalosporins / pharmacology
  • Ciprofloxacin / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Gonorrhea / drug therapy*
  • Gonorrhea / epidemiology
  • Gonorrhea / microbiology
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / drug effects*
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / enzymology
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / isolation & purification
  • Penicillin Resistance
  • Penicillinase / biosynthesis
  • Penicillins / pharmacology
  • Prevalence
  • Spectinomycin / pharmacology
  • Tetracycline / pharmacology
  • Tetracycline Resistance
  • Trinidad and Tobago / epidemiology

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Cephalosporins
  • Penicillins
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Azithromycin
  • Spectinomycin
  • Penicillinase
  • Tetracycline