Ciprofloxacin Resistance and Gonorrhea Incidence Rates in 17 Cities, United States, 1991–2006

• Main Authors: Harrell W. Chesson, Robert D. Kirkcaldy, Thomas L. Gift, Kwame Owusu-Edusei, Hillard S. Weinstock
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014-04-01
• Series: Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: drug resistance; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; bacteria; gonorrhea incidence rates; drug therapy; epidemiology
• Online Access: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/4/13-1288_article
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059

Antimicrobial drug resistance can hinder gonorrhea prevention and control efforts. In this study, we analyzed historical ciprofloxacin resistance data and gonorrhea incidence data to examine the possible effect of antimicrobial drug resistance on gonorrhea incidence at the population level. We analyzed data from the Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project and city-level gonorrhea incidence rates from surveillance data for 17 cities during 1991–2006. We found a strong positive association between ciprofloxacin resistance and gonorrhea incidence rates at the city level during this period. Their association was consistent with predictions of mathematical models in which resistance to treatment can increase gonorrhea incidence rates through factors such as increased duration of infection. These findings highlight the possibility of future increases in gonorrhea incidence caused by emerging cephalosporin resistance.