Gonorrhoea resurgence in Canada.

After several years of decline, reported gonorrhoea rates in Canada have recently increased substantially. National goals for gonorrhoea control were developed in 1997, but it appears that reliance on secular trends is insufficient to attain the goal of eliminating locally transmitted infection by Neisseria gonorrhoeae by 2010. We have examined disease surveillance reports from 1994 to 2001 inclusive to assess demographic and epidemiologic trends in reported cases of gonococcal infection. Since 1997, reported cases have increased by 53% among men and 33% among women. The largest proportion of cases in women is in those aged 15-24; the most dramatic increase in males has been among those aged 30-39. Reasons for the resurgence remain unclear, but disease reports indicate that renewed attention to enhanced surveillance and targeted prevention are essential for gonorrhoea control in Canada.