Gonococcal Serovar Distribution in Stockholm, with Special Reference to Multiple Infections and Infected Partners

Abstract

Serological classification with co‐agglutination, using monoclonal antibody reagents, was used to classify gonococcal strains from 731 consecutive patients seen at the Venereal Outpatients clinic at the Department of Dermatology, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm, up to April 1983. The strains could be divided into two serogroups, WI and WII/III. For the identification of strains belonging to serogroup WI, six Protein IA specific antibody reagents were used, and for strains of serogroup WII/III, seven Protein IB specific antibody reagents. The serogroup WI could be further subdivided into eight different serovariants (serovars), and serogroup WII/III into 30 different serovars. All strains reacted with at least one monoclonal antibody reagent and no strain reacted with both WI and WII/III specific reagents. In both serogroups there was one serovar that was common among women and heterosexual men and another which was more frequent among homosexual men. The 84 contact pairs had strains of corresponding serovar in 95%. Among 258 patients with two or more gonococcal isolates on the same occasion, the isolates from 93% had the corresponding serovar. Repeated gonococcal infections were more frequent among heterosexual men than among women and more frequent among homosexual than among heterosexual men. The serological classification of N. gonorrhoeae is a stable and rapid method and a useful epidemiological tool.

The Epidemiology of Gonorrhea Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Stockholm, Sweden, 1990–2004

“…The serovar determination system seemed reliable in that only 19 of 181 patients diagnosed with isolates from more than one location at the same time were infected with isolates of different serovars (paper IV). This is also in concordance with earlier studies [101]. Fifteen of the 19 patients had serovars that differed in more than one reaction with the monoclonal reagents.…”

Analysis of serovar distribution as a tool in epidemiological studies in gonorrhoea

“…It can also be used in the control of therapeutic trials, e.g. in the evaluation of treatment failure versus reinfection (7) and to separate strains in cases of double infections (8).…”