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Live attenuated viral vectors that express human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigens are being developed as potential vaccines to prevent HIV infection. The first phase 2 trial with a canarypox vector (vCP205, which expresses gp120, p55, and protease) was conducted in 435 volunteers with and without gp120 boosting, to expand the safety database and to compare the immunogenicity of the vector in volunteers who were at higher risk with that in volunteers at lower risk for HIV infection. Neutralizing antibodies to the MN strain were stimulated in 94% of volunteers given vCP205 plus gp120 and in 56% of volunteers given vCP205 alone. CD8(+) cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells developed at some time point in 33% of volunteers given vCP205, with or without gp120. Phase 3 field trials with these or similar vaccines are needed, to determine whether efficacy in preventing HIV infection or in slowing disease progression among vaccinees who become infected is associated with the level and types of immune responses that were induced by the vaccines in this study.

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are assessed. Gonorrhoea was the most common STD in male and female patients combined (18%), while nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) was most common in men (23%), and vaginitis (trichomonal 7.5 %, yeast 7 1 %, and non-specific 7h 1 %) was the most common in women. A significantly higher incidence of NGU occurred in Caucasian (63 %) than in black (42 %) men (p<0 005). No other STD was diagnosed in more than 5 % of patients, and 31 % had normal findings on clinical examination and investigation, and could be described as the 'worried well'. Two or more STDs co-existed in 4-2 % of patients. In 1976 the incidence of genital herpes and scabies decreased in contrast to other STDs and total patient visits, which increased. A seasonal peak in late summer and early autumn was observed for most STDs. These observations indicate the importance of a comprehensive approach when attempting to compile accurate statistics on selected epidemiological aspects of sexually transmitted diseases.

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We evaluated a monoclonal fluorescent-antibody (FA) reagent (Neisseria gonorrhoeae Culture Confirmation Test; Syva Co., Palo Alto, Calif.) for confirmation of N. gonorrhoeae isolates obtained from clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in four cities. The FA test was performed in parallel with established confirmation procedures on all organisms growing on 773 primary culture plates of modified Thayer-Martin agar. All N. gonorrhoeae isolates reacted with the FA reagent and produced a bright, easily interpretable fluorescence. The FA test correctly identified 533 N. gonorrhoeae isolates from 474 patients and did not react with 90 N. meningitidis or with 213 non-Neisseria isolates. In one city (Baltimore), Gonochek II (Du Pont Co., Wilmington, Del.) failed to identify four N. gonorrhoeae isolates reactive with the FA reagent and confirmed as N. gonorrhoeae by Phadebact (Pharmacia Inc., Piscataway, N.J.) and acid production from sugars. The FA test was rapid and specific and could be performed directly from primary isolation plates. The test requires 1 h to perform and is applicable to mixed-flora cultures.

During 33 screening sessions in Denver gay steambaths, 48 of 419 (11.5 per cent) men were found to have asymptomatic gonorrhea and six (1.4 per cent) had early latent syphilis. Questionnaires were administered to 160 men who reported a mean of 7.9 different male sex contacts per month. Female sex contacts were also reported by 30 per cent. The respond-

SUMMARY In 202 men with urethral gonorrhoea (176 symptomatic and 26 asymptomatic) who had modified Thayer-Martin cultures taken before and within five minutes after micturition there was complete agreement between results of the two cultures. Micturition did, however, temporarily eliminate the discharge in 100 (56-8 %) and make interpretation of Gram-stained smears more laborious.