[Gonococcus producers of beta-lactamase isolated in Dakar. Sensitivity to different antibiotics, auxotype and plasmid...

More than 12.5% of gonococci isolated in Dakar during the first six months of 1984 were penicillinase producers (PPNG). PPNG strains were susceptible to a number of antibiotics: spectinomycin, thiamphenicol and tetracycline. No significant differences were found between distribution of auxotypes in PPNG and in non-penicillinase producing strains. Study of plasmidic content of PPNG (36 strains isolated from 1981 to 1984) revealed that 68.75% were of the "African" type and 31.25% of the "South-East Asian" type. Ratio of isolation of these two plasmidic content types remained consistent throughout the last four years. The criteria defined in 1977 to classify PPNG into two types need to be reviewed, specifically with regard to geographical areas, auxotype and tetracycline susceptibility. We found a significant correlation between the 4.5 Md plasmid (bla+) and the auxotype (PRO-). This finding has been reported by other authors but has not yet been explained.