GONOCOCCAL SEROVAR PATTERNS IN GLASGOW - 1990-1992

Using monoclonal antibodies directed against protein 1 (major outer me mbrane protein) in the cell wall of Neisseria gonorrhoeae it is possib le to serotype the gonococcus into different sub-groups. This study wa s designed to analyse the distribution of such serovars in Glasgow, Sc otland, and report associations between serovars and clinical features of infection. N. gonorrhoeae isolated from all patients with a diagno sis of gonorrhoea attending genitourinary medicine clinics in Glasgow were serotyped between January 1990 and December 1992. The results wer e then correlated with sexual orientation of patients, penicillin sens itivity, site of infection, location of acquisition of infection and p resence of symptoms. Six hundred and four episodes of gonococcal infec tion were analysed and an association between certain serovars with se xual orientation, penicillin sensitivity and asymptomatic infection wa s found. No association between serovar type and locality of acquisiti on of infection was apparent. Although there was a decreasing trend in the incidence of gonorrhoea overall, infections in homosexual men inc reased over the three-year study period. The associations between sero vars and other features of gonococcal infection are discussed. The obs erved increase in homosexually-acquired infection has implications wit h regard to the spread of human immunodeficiency virus infection in th is area, and suggests that attempts to promote safer sex in this group are failing.