Annual Report of the Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme, 2009

The Australian Gonococcal Surveillance Programme (AGSP) monitors antibiotic susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in all states and territories. In 2009 the in vitro susceptibility of 3,220 isolates of gonococci from public and private sector sources was determined by standardised methods. Varying antibiotic susceptibility patterns were again seen across jurisdictions and regions. Resistance to the penicillins nationally was 36% and, with the exception of the Northern Territory, ranged between 19% in Queensland and 52% in Victoria. Quinolone resistance, most at high minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) levels, was 43% nationally (excepting the Northern Territory), and ranging from 30% in Queensland to 60% in Victoria. Decreased susceptibility to ceftriaxone (MIC 0.06 mg/L or more), was found nationally in 2% of isolates. Nationally, all isolates remained sensitive to spectinomycin. Azithromycin resistance surveillance was performed in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia, and was found to be present in low numbers of gonococci with MIC values up to 16 mg/L. In larger urban centres the ratio of male to female cases was high, and rectal and pharyngeal isolates were common in men. In other centres and in rural Australia the male to female ratio of cases was lower, and most isolates were from the genital tract.