Influence of copper salts on gonococci.

No difference in the incidence of gonorrhoea was observed at a venereal disease clinic between women using a copper-coil intrauterine device (IUD) and women using oral contraceptives. Experiments in vitro demonstrated that copper sulphate has a deleterious effect on Neisseria gonorrhoeae, but the presence of serum protects the gonococci from the toxic effect of copper ions.