Skip to main content
PMC home page
Genitourinary Medicine logoLink to Genitourinary Medicine
. 1986 Jun;62(3):145–150. doi: 10.1136/sti.62.3.145

Epidemiological analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the Federal Republic of Germany by auxotyping and serological classification using monoclonal antibodies.

P K Kohl, J S Knapp, H Hofmann, K Gruender, D Petzoldt, M R Tams, K K Holmes
PMCID: PMC1011925  PMID: 3089903

Abstract

We evaluated a new serological classification system for Neisseria gonorrhoeae based on monoclonal antibodies directed against epitopes on the outer membrane protein I, in conjunction with auxotyping, to analyse gonococci from two cities in the Federal Republic of Germany. Isolates of N gonorrhoeae were collected during 1976-8 and 1980-2 in Lübeck, and during 1980-2 in Heidelberg. Between the two study periods in Lübeck, we observed an appreciable decrease in strains of the auxotype that requires arginine, hypoxanthine, and uracil (AHU-) and with serovar class PrIA-1 and the emergence of strains with the proline requiring auxotype and PrIB-1 serovar class. Serovar PrIA-1 accounted for 89 (97%) of 92 strains with the AHU- auxotype as opposed to 12 (4%) of 297 strains with other auxotypes (p less than 0.0001). Disseminated gonococcal infection was associated with AHU-/PrIA-1 strains. Penicillinase producing N gonorrhoeae (PPNG) strains belonged to eight different auxotype and serovar classes, which indicated that different strains had been imported. Classification of strains of N gonorrhoeae by auxotype and serovar class permits analysis of temporal changes in gonococcal populations, and of migrations of gonococci between different geographical areas. Typing N gonorrhoeae, together with assessing antibiotic susceptibilities, may prove useful for further studies of the epidemiology and control of gonorrhoea.

Full text

PDF

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bygdeman S., Danielsson D., Sandström E. Gonococcal W serogroups in Scandinavia. A study with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Acta Pathol Microbiol Immunol Scand B. 1983 Oct;91(5):293–305. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Catlin B. W. Nutritional profiles of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Neisseria lactamica in chemically defined media and the use of growth requirements for gonococcal typing. J Infect Dis. 1973 Aug;128(2):178–194. doi: 10.1093/infdis/128.2.178. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Crawford C., Knapp J. S., Hale J., Holmes K. K. Asymptomatic gonorrhea in men: caused by gonococci with unique nutritional requirements. Science. 1977 Jun 17;196(4296):1352–1353. doi: 10.1126/science.405742. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Eisenstein B. I., Lee T. J., Sparling P. F. Penicillin sensitivity and serum resistance are independent attributes of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae causing disseminated gonococcal infection. Infect Immun. 1977 Mar;15(3):834–841. doi: 10.1128/iai.15.3.834-841.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Handsfield H. H., Sandström E. G., Knapp J. S., Perine P. L., Whittington W. L., Sayers D. E., Holmes K. K. Epidemiology of penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections: analysis by auxotyping and serogrouping. N Engl J Med. 1982 Apr 22;306(16):950–954. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198204223061602. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Knapp J. S., Holmes K. K. Disseminated gonococcal infections caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae with unique nutritional requirements. J Infect Dis. 1975 Aug;132(2):204–208. doi: 10.1093/infdis/132.2.204. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Knapp J. S., Tam M. R., Nowinski R. C., Holmes K. K., Sandström E. G. Serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with use of monoclonal antibodies to gonococcal outer membrane protein I. J Infect Dis. 1984 Jul;150(1):44–48. doi: 10.1093/infdis/150.1.44. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Knapp J. S., Thornsberry C., Schoolnik G. A., Wiesner P. J., Homes K. K. Phenotypic and epidemiologic correlates of auxotype in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Infect Dis. 1978 Aug;138(2):160–165. doi: 10.1093/infdis/138.2.160. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Konturek S. J., Tasler J., Obtulowicz W., Coy D. H., Schally A. V. Effect of growth hormone-release inhibiting hormone on hormones stimulating exocrine pancreatic secretion. J Clin Invest. 1976 Jul;58(1):1–6. doi: 10.1172/JCI108438. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Morello J. A., Lerner S. A., Bohnhoff M. Characteristics of atypical Neisseria gonorrhoeae from disseminated and localized infections. Infect Immun. 1976 May;13(5):1510–1516. doi: 10.1128/iai.13.5.1510-1516.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Morse S. A., Bartenstein L. Purine metabolism in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: the requirement for hypoxanthine. Can J Microbiol. 1980 Jan;26(1):13–20. doi: 10.1139/m80-003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Noble R. C., Parekh M. C. Changes in the prevalence of auxotypes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae among black and white patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. Sex Transm Dis. 1983 Jan-Mar;10(1):14–17. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198301000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Noble R. C., Reyes R. R., Parekh M. C., Haley J. V. Incidence of disseminated gonococcal infection correlated with the presence of AHU auxotype of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in a community. Sex Transm Dis. 1984 Apr-Jun;11(2):68–71. doi: 10.1097/00007435-198404000-00003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Petzoldt D., Gründer K., Neubert U. Sensitivity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to penicillin in West Germany. Br J Vener Dis. 1979 Apr;55(2):80–82. doi: 10.1136/sti.55.2.80. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Sandstrom E. G., Chen K. C., Buchanan T. M. Serology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: coagglutination serogroups WI and WII/III correspond to different outer membrane protein I molecules. Infect Immun. 1982 Nov;38(2):462–470. doi: 10.1128/iai.38.2.462-470.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sandstrom E. G., Knapp J. S., Buchanan T. B. Serology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae: W-antigen serogrouping by coagglutination and protein I serotyping by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay both detect protein I antigens. Infect Immun. 1982 Jan;35(1):229–239. doi: 10.1128/iai.35.1.229-239.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Sandström E., Danielsson D. Serology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Classification by co-agglutination. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1980 Feb;88(1):27–38. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1980.tb02600.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Tam M. R., Buchanan T. M., Sandström E. G., Holmes K. K., Knapp J. S., Siadak A. W., Nowinski R. C. Serological classification of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with monoclonal antibodies. Infect Immun. 1982 Jun;36(3):1042–1053. doi: 10.1128/iai.36.3.1042-1053.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Turgeon P. L., Granger M. J. Auxotypes of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated from localized and disseminated infections in Montreal. Can Med Assoc J. 1980 Sep 6;123(5):381–384. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Wiesner P. J., Handsfield H. H., Holmes K. K. Low antibiotic resistance of gonococci causing disseminated infection. N Engl J Med. 1973 Jun 7;288(23):1221–1222. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197306072882308. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Genitourinary Medicine are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES