BACKGROUND: The use of antimicrobials in the treatment of gonorrhoea started in 1930 with sulphonamides. Subsequently other drugs, such as tetracycline and its derivatives, were indicated for treating gonorrhoea. Therapeutic response to these drugs has tended to decline due to chromossomal and plasmidic resistance. However, tetracycline as a monotherapy or in association with other drugs is still prescribed for treating gonorrhea in Brazil. This justifies the need for a critical analysis in order to evaluate the sensitivity of gonococcus to this drug. OBJETIVE: Evaluate the real incidence of chromosomal resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains to tetracycline in our environment. METHOD: Analysis of the minimal inhibitory concentration in agar dilution. RESULTS: The chromosomal resistance to tetracycline was detected in 40.3% of all analyzed strains. CONCLUSIONS: This finding condemns the use of tetracycline as a mono or combined therapy for the treatment of gonorrhoea in our environment.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Tetracycline resistance; Microbial sensitivity tests
