ABSTRACT
The prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae surface antigens as virulence factors in patients with sexually transmitted disease (STD) was determined. In addition; the potential of viral surface components as vaccine candidates against gonococcal infections was assessed. 335 urogenital specimens from male and female STD patients in Addis Ababa; Nazareth and Awassa; Ethiopia; were examined for N. gonorrhoeae. The virulence type; antimicrobial sensitivity pattern and surface antigenic components of isolated N. gonorrhoeae strains were determined using haemagglutination and other detection assay methods. Out of 335 specimens; N. gonorrhoeae strains were isolated in 59 of males and 43 of females. These strains showed 19 different antibiogram patterns. Only 12.3 of strains were sensitive to all drugs and over 70 were resistant to more than 2 combined drugs. More than 90 of these multidrug resistant strains were penicillinase [beta-lactamase] producers. 200 N. gonorrhoeaeisolates were tested for haemagglutination and iron-binding protein production (IBP). Results showed that 35 of tested isolates were mannose resistant haemagglutinating (MRHA) strains and 20 were mannose sensitive haemagglutinating (MSHA) strains when tested using the human AB blood type. When guinea pig blood cells were used; 15 were MRHA and 25 were MSHA strains. MRHA strains were positive for IBP; whereas only 10 of MSHA strains were positive for this property. Conclusions and recommendations are given