Infections in sexual contacts and associates of children with gonorrhea.

The productivity of gonorrhea case-finding among persons epidemiologically associated with children infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae was examined. During a 33-month period, 36 cases of gonococcal infection in children prompted the examination of 244 individuals who were identified as either sexual contacts, household associates, or nonhousehold associates. Overall, we found an infection rate of 18.4% among 244 persons associated with cases of gonococcal infection in children. Of 21 sexual contacts examined, ten (47.6%) had gonorrhea. Of 223 persons associated with the childhood cases of gonorrhea, 21 (16%) of household associates and 14 (15.2%) of nonhousehold associates were found to have gonorrhea. Associates aged greater than or equal to 30 years who were not named as sexual contacts had a risk of infection significantly lower than that of younger persons examined. These results emphasize that gonorrhea screening prompted by reports of cases in children should not be limited to those persons identified as sexual contacts or household members.