Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from four centres in Papua new Guinea remain susceptible to amoxycillin-clavulanate therapy
Toliman, P.J.; Lupiwa, T.; Law, G.J.; Reeder, J.C.; Siba, P.M.
Papua and new Guinea Medical Journal 53(1-2): 15-20
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 0031-1480 PMID: 22768475 Document Number: 641589
Antibiotic-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae have the potential to undermine treatment and control of gonorrhoea, which remains a highly prevalent sexually transmitted infection (STI) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The standard treatment regimen for gonorrhoea in PNG based on amoxycillin and clavulanic acid (amoxycillin-clavulanate) was introduced about 15 years ago and there is some concern that over time circulating strains may have developed resistance to this therapy. To investigate this, N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 52) were collected from STI clinics in geographically representative centres in PNG and tested for their in vitro susceptibility to a range of antibiotics. All 52 isolates tested were found susceptible to amoxycillin-clavulanate, despite 40% (n = 21) being penicillinase producers and thus resistant to penicillin. These findings indicate that amoxycillin-clavulanate therapy remains an effective treatment for gonococcal infections in PNG, and support the maintenance of the present standard treatment for gonorrhoea in PNG.