The epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Europe

This review addresses the occurrence, the trends, and the risk groups of Ne isseria gonorrhoeae in Europe over the past decade. A decline has been obse rved in most of Europe since the 1980s, except for an increase in the Balti c countries (early 1990s) and an increase among men who have sex with men ( between 1989 and 1991), and heterosexuals in some countries (between 1995 a nd 1997). Despite the overall fall in the incidence of gonorrhoea, plasmid- mediated resistance to penicillin and tetracycline increased in Europe. Mor e recently, resistance to fluoroquinolones has been documented, mainly impo rted from Southeast Asia. Until now, no resistance to third-generation ceph alosporins has been observed. (C) Elsevier, Paris.