Evaluation of urethral culture for Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the routine investigation of men attending a STD clinic.

Abstract

Urethral gonorrhea was diagnosed by culture in 957 (18.8%) of 5076 new male patients attending a sexually transmitted diseases clinic. The infection was asymptomatic in 38 (4%) of these patients. The diagnosis in only 6 (0.3%) of 2159 men with urethral gonorrhea but with no symptoms or signs of urethritis would have been missed if urethral cultures were not performed.