[Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Zürich. Incidence, minimal inhibiting concentration of various antibiotics and penicillinase-forming strains 1981 to 1985].

From 1981-1985 2232 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae were isolated and examined in the VD laboratory of the Department for Dermatology of the University Hospital of Zurich. 86 isolates were penicillinase producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains (PPNG). The MIC ranges for penicillin of the non-PPNG strains was 0.0035 to 16 mg/l, for tetracycline 0.03 to 8 mg/l, for spectinomycin 3.5 to 120 mg/l and for thiamphenicol 0.125 to 8 mg/l. 42 out of 86 PPNG strains (48.8%) had been imported from South-East Asia. Six patients (6.9%) with PPNG strains had been infected in Zurich. Plasmid patterns of all PPNG strains were determined. The 4.4 MD-plasmid ("Asian" type plasmid) was found in 68 of 86 strains. The 3.2 MD-plasmid ("African" type plasmid) in 8 of 86 and the 24.6 MD-plasmid (transfer plasmid) in 56 PPNG strains respectively. The range of the MIC for penicillin of the PPNG strains was 1-16 mg/l, for tetracycline 0.25-8 mg/l, for spectinomycin 7-30 mg/l and for thiamphenicol 0.125-2 mg/l. The frequency of PPNG strains increased from 1.7% in 1981 to 6.7% in 1985.