Pediatric gonococcal infection: case report demonstrating diagnostic problems in remote populations

The inability of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to survive prolonged transit times and hostile ambient temperatures has made its detection at referral laboratories by cultural methods untenable. In this situation, reliance upon antigen detection systems is attractive but when these tests are performed on vaginal specimens from children, false positive results are a significant concern. Some of the difficulties associated with the investigation of a gonococcal infection resulting from sexual abuse of a child in an isolated community are illustrated in this report.