Lm. David et al., GONORRHEA IN COVENTRY 1991-1994 - EPIDEMIOLOGY, COINFECTION AND EVALUATION OF PARTNER NOTIFICATION IN THE STD CLINIC, International journal of STD & AIDS, 8(5), 1997, pp. 311-316
The aim of this study is to analyse the epidemiology of gonorrhoea in
the Coventry area between 1991-1994 and the implementation and outcome
of partner notification. A total of 404 episodes in 382 patients comp
rised the study group. in Coventry, 97% of episodes were managed in th
e STD clinic. There was a decrease in female and heterosexual male cas
es from 172 cases in 1991 to 37 cases in 1994 and increase in homosexu
al male cases from 8 in 1991 to 13 in 1994 (P<0.0001). Chlamydial coin
fection was found in 38%. Among patients with gonorrhoea, 33% were asy
mptomatic and 40% with gonorrhoea and chlamydia were asymptomatic. Ten
per cent of index cases were asymptomatic as were 83% of contact case
s (P<0.0001). The health advisers (HAs) interviewed 82% immediately an
d 94% at some time after diagnosis. Of the average 1.5 partners per pa
tient identified, 0.31 partners per patient were already screened, ano
ther 0.4 partners per patient were traced, 0.37 partners per patient w
ere not traced, and for 0.41 partners per patient notification outcome
was unknown or unconfirmed. Partner notification of 278 index cases t
raced 163 primary or tertiary contacts, 115 were new cases of gonorrho
ea.