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Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among men screened for Chlamydia
trachomatis in four United States cities, 1999-2003.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2006;33(5):314-319.
Gaydos CA, Kent CK, Rietmeijer CA, Willard NJ, Marrazzo JM, Chapin JB,
Dunne EF, Markowitz LE, Klausner JD, Ellen JM, Schillinger JA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections are the second most commonly reported
disease in the United States and cause significant morbidity. We describe
the prevalence of gonorrhea in a large sample of men tested for gonorrhea
and Chlamydia trachomatis in Baltimore, Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle.
METHODS: Gonorrhea prevalence was measured among 17,712 men tested in a variety
of non-sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic venues using urine-based
nucleic acid amplification tests. RESULTS: Among 16,850 asymptomatic men,
prevalence ranged from 0% to 1.5% by city (P=0.20): Baltimore 1.3%, Denver
1.5%, San Francisco 1.5%, and Seattle 0%. Among 862 symptomatic men, the
gonorrhea prevalence varied from 0.0% to 28.3% by city (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:
The high prevalence of gonorrhea in symptomatic men supports the importance
of testing for symptomatic men. The prevalence of gonorrhea among asymptomatic
men is low, and routine screening cannot be recommended when screening is
performed for chlamydia, unless a substantial local prevalence of gonorrhea
can be documented in specific targeted venues or population groups.