Gonorrhea

Abstract

Infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) is a significant public health problem in the United States. A total of 468,514 cases of gonorrhea were reported in the United States in 2016 and this was a significant increase from the 395,216 reported cases in 2015.[1] The number of reported gonorrhea cases probably underestimates the true incidence and the reporting has been influenced by changes in screening practices, use of diagnostic tests with different performance characteristics, and reporting practices. In the United States, the rate of gonorrhea declined by 74% from 1975 to 1997 after implementation of a national gonorrhea control program in the mid-1970s. After 1997, gonorrhea rates declined further, reaching a historic low of 98.1 cases per 100,000 population in 2009.[1] During 2009–2012, the gonorrhea rate increased each year, with 106.7 cases per 100,000 population reported in 2012. A slight decline occurred in 2013, but the rates then increased again during 2014, 2015, and 2016 (Figure 1).[1] In 2016, the gonorrhea rate was 145.8 cases per 100,000 population, an increase of 18.5% from 2015; since 2006, the gonorrhea rate of reported gonorrhea cases has increased 48.6%.[1] Based on the estimated incident cases among all ages in 2008, the total lifetime direct medical cost of gonorrhea in the United States was estimated at $162.1 million.