[Study of the antimicrobial sensitivity, auxotype, serotype and plasmid analysis of 75 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Barcelona].

The sensitivity of five antimicrobials (penicillin, cefoxitin, tetracycline, ceftazidime and spectinomycin) was assayed in 75 Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains, isolated from May 1986 to December 1987 in a general hospital in Barcelona. Auxotype, serotype and plasmid analysis studies were also performed on these strains. Twenty-six (34%) penicillinase-producing strains were found. 49% of the non-penicillinase-producing strains showed intermediate resistance to penicillin and 12% were resistant with MIC greater than 1 mg/1. 6% were resistant to tetracycline and cefoxitin, respectively, and all were sensitive to ceftazidime and spectinomycin. All the penicillinase-producing strains had the plasmid Africa and three of them had a diffuser plasmid of 24.5 mD. With regard to the auxotype study, most of the strains were prototrophic (38%) followed by the proline dependent ones (38%). 64% of the penicillinase-producing strains belonged to the serogroup W I, while 77% of the non-penicillinase-producing strains were in the W II/III serogroup.