Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from patients attending a STD facility in Maputo, Mozambique.

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain the effectiveness of kanamycin for the treatment of gonorrhoea in Maputo, Mozambique.

METHODS & DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was employed. Urethral and cervical specimens were collected for the isolation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from patients attending Centro de Saúde do Porto. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined for kanamycin, spectinomycin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, cefixime, tetracycline and penicillin.

RESULTS

Twenty-two (40%) Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates were intermediate and 4(7%) were resistant to kanamycin; 42(77%) displayed high level resistance to tetracycline (MIC > or = 16 mg/L); 34 (65%) were penicillinase producers, and 52 (95%) had spectinomycin MICs of 64 mg/L. All isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin (MIC < or = 0.06 mg/L), ceftriaxone (MIC < or = 0.015 mg/L) and cefixime (MIC < or = 0.015 mg/L).

CONCLUSION

The observations underscore the need for broader susceptibility surveillance studies to elucidate the pattern and extent of drug resistance in Mozambique. A review of the current treatment guidelines for genital discharge syndrome is warranted.