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Scientific article
English

A new sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Geneva? Ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 2002-2005

Contributors

Le Lin, Brigitte; Pastore, Roberta; Liassine, Nadia; Aramburu, Carmen; Sudre, Philippe

Published in

Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift, vol. 138, no. 15-16, p. 243-246

Publication date

2008

Abstract

PRINCIPLES: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) resistant to ciprofloxacin (CR) was documented for the first time in Geneva in 2002 and increased from 7% that year to 47% in 2005. We describe NG cases during this period and compare characteristics of CR and ciprofloxacin susceptible (CS) cases. METHOD: Geneva microbiological laboratories identified NG cases. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed on a sample of reported cases. The attending physicians completed questionnaires on demographic and epidemiological characteristics. Risk exposures were assessed by comparing CR and CS cases using logistic regression. RESULTS: 238 NG cases were reported. Of 91 on which AST was performed, 23 (25%) were CR; 91% of these were male vs 87% of CS patients. Men having sex with men (MSM) represented 38% of CR cases compared with 31% of CS cases (p>0.05). Among CR cases 65% were Swiss compared with 56% of CS cases. Median age was 35 years for both. Casual sexual contacts were reported for 88% of CR cases and 72% of CS cases (p>0.05). The difference between CR and CS cases in terms of sexual activity outside Switzerland (50% and 19% respectively) remained significant after adjusting for sexual preference and nationality (OR: 7.0, CI 95: 1.99-24.6). CONCLUSION: Although CR infection was more common among Swiss MSM, only sexual activity outside Switzerland was independently associated with CR. Physicians should request AST before treatment and reconsider first-line use of ciprofloxacin. Surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance is essential in monitoring epidemiologic trends and updating recommendations on first-line treatment.

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology/therapeutic use
  • Ciprofloxacin/pharmacology/therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Female
  • Gonorrhea/drug therapy/epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae
  • Risk Factors
  • Sexual Behavior
  • Switzerland

UNIGE affiliation entities

Citation (ISO format)

LE LIN, Brigitte et al. A new sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Geneva? Ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae, 2002-2005. In: Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift, 2008, vol. 138, n° 15-16, p. 243–246. doi: 10.4414/smw.2008.12029

Main files (1)

Article (Accepted version)

Identifiers

Additional URL for this publication

http://www.smw.ch/dfe/set_archiv.asp?target=2008/15/smw-12029

Journal ISSN

0036-7672
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Technical informations

Creation

04/03/2009 11:40:00

First validation

04/03/2009 11:40:00

Update

13/03/2026 08:33:15

Status update

13/03/2026 08:33:15

Last indexation

13/03/2026 08:36:37
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