Increasing incidence of gonorrhea--Minnesota, 1994.

In the United States, gonorrhea is an important cause of urethritis in men and cervicitis in women; reproductive complications include infertility and ectopic pregnancy. During 1981-1993, the annual incidence rate of gonorrhea in Minnesota declined; the average annual change in the rate of infection was -8.5% (Figure 1). However, in 1994, the incidence rate increased 32% (from 56 cases per 100,000 persons in 1993 to 74 cases per 100,000 in 1994). No corresponding increases occurred in rates of other reportable sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including chlamydial infection and early syphilis. To elucidate possible explanations for the increased rate of gonorrhea in Minnesota in 1994, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) analyzed surveillance data for 1994 and compared it with data for 1993. This report presents the findings of the analysis.