Sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics in London (1976-78)

Three surveys of the sensitivity of pretreatment isolates of gonococci to penicillin, ampicillin, tetracycline, spectinomycin, streptomycin, and co-trimoxazole were carried out during the period 1976-78. Compared with the results of previous surveys in the London area the decline in the proportion of strains of gonococci which are insensitive to penicillin appears to have halted. No changes were found in the levels of resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, or spectinomycin during the period surveyed, although there was a slight increase in the proportion of strains requiring concentrations of 20 microgram spectinomycin per ml for inhibition. Streptomycin resistance has decreased considerably and 91% of strains are now sensitive to 10 microgram streptomycin per ml.