Epidemiologic observations of adolescents with Neisseria gonorrhoeae genital infections treated at a children's hospital

Study Objective: To describe adolescents with Neisseria gonorrhoeae genital infections.

Design and Participants: The charts of all adolescents (12–22 years old) with N. gonorrhoeae genital infections were reviewed from September 1, 1989 to February 28, 1990. Patients were followed for 8–14 months from initial infection to determine the number of repeat N. gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis infections.

Setting: The outpatient clinics of a pediatric hospital. The log books of the bacteriology laboratory at Children's Hospital, Boston were reviewed to determine all adolescents with N. gonorrhoeae infection visiting any clinic or the Emergency Ward.

Results and Conclusions: Ninety-six adolescents with 107 genital N. gonorrhoeae infections were seen in the initial 6-month interval. Compared with 29 males, the 67 females were less likely to be treated at the initial visit, were more likely to have counseling documented, to be rescreened at follow-up, to have more follow-up cultures in the 8 to 14-month interval, and to be followed for a longer duration. Twenty-three percent of patients had one or more additional gonococcal infections and 19% had further chlamydial genital infections over the short-term follow-up. Adolescents with N. gonorrhoeae infection should be considered at high risk for repeat infection and screened frequently for N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis, as well as counseled about risk reduction.