Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhea in Female Patients Attending Clinics in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) - Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

A study designed to determine the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhea in female patients as well as the susceptibility of the recovered isolates to commonly used antibiotics was undertaken in Abuja. Beta-lactamase production by these isolates was also determined using the filter-paper acidometric method. The survey involved two hundred and twentyone patients seen at three selected General Hospitals, in the Federal Capital Territory located in Garki, Wuse and Nyanya districts. The study involved collection of samples from patients attending antenatal care clinics and sexually transmitted diseases clinics. Of the 221 endocervical swabs collected from the patients, 16 (7.2%) yielded N. gonorrhea, with the age group within 21 - 25 years being mostly affected (7: 11.3%) followed by 4 (1.8%) and 3 (1.4%) in the 26 - 30 years and 31 - 35 years age brackets, respectively. Also, 7 (43.8%) ofthe total isolates were Betalactamase producing strains. Isolates were very sensitive to peflacine, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, and spectinomycin but highly resistant to penicillin, erythromycin and tetracycline. This study demonstrates the emergence of penicillinaseproducing strains of N. gonorrhea in the FCT, therefore making it unreasonable to recommend Penicillin G as a drug of choice in the treatment ofthis disease condition.