Auxotypes and antibiotic susceptibilities of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from women with acute salpingitis. Comparison with gonococci causing uncomplicated genital tract infections in women.

An investigation of the MICs of various antibiotics and the nutritional requirements (auxotypes) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae recovered from the cervix, fallopian tubes, and peritoneal cavity of women with acute salpingitis was done. These MICs and auxotypes were compared to those of gonococci isolated from the cervix of women with uncomplicated or asymptomatic genital tract gonorrhea. The MICs of minocycline, penicillin G, ampicillin, cefoxitin, and cefaclor for gonococci isolated from women with acute salpingitis were significantly higher. Significant differences in auxotype patterns were identified between isolates from salpingitis cases and uncomplicated cases. The prototrophic form was the most common (75%) among salpingitis strains. No strains requiring arginine, hypoxanthine, and uracil were identified among the salpingitis isolates. In contrast, strains that required these nutrients were the most frequent auxotype among isolated from women with uncomplicated genital tract gonorrhea. Discriminant analysis revealed that the MIC of minocycline and the auxotype were the most powerful discriminators between groups of patients with different manifestations of gonorrhea.