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2002 Indiana Report of Infectious Diseases

Gonorrhea

Table 1. Gonorrhea Cases by Race and Sex, Indiana, 2002
  2002 1998-2002
Cases Rate* Cases
Total 7,389 120 33,642
Race
   White 1,573 29 7,044
   Black 4,618 879 21,947
   Other 166   650
   Not Reported 1,032   4,001
Sex
   Male 3,396 112 15,706
   Female 3,967 127 17,889
   Not Reported 26   47

*Rate per 100,000 population based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s   population data as of July 1, 2002

In 2002, the Indiana State Department of Health received 7,389 reports of patients who tested positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. This sum translates to a crude rate of 120 per 100,000 Indiana residents, a 5 percent increase from 2001 (114.8). Gonorrhea morbidity has been steadily increasing since 2000 (Figure 1).

The number of cases among women exceeded that of men in 2002. Of cases with known gender, 3,967 female cases were reported, and 3,396 male cases were reported. This gender disparity is consistent with that found in the previous year, but more pronounced. In 2002, the sex-specific rate was 127 per 100,000 females and 112 per 100,000 males, an increase from 123 (females) and 106 (males) reported in 2001. In terms of gonococcal infections, women were overrepresented with respect to their percentage of Indiana’s population. Compared with men, greater morbidity among women may be attributable to higher infection rates among females, a greater number of tests among women, or other factors.

In 2002, more cases were reported among blacks than among all other racial groups combined. Of gonorrhea cases with known race, 4,618 (62.5%) were classified as black, while 1,573 (21.3%) cases were classified as white. The race-specific rate for blacks (879.0) was higher than that for whites (29.0). Of the total number of cases reported in 2002, 14 percent (1,032) were of unknown race. Even if all of these cases were among whites, the racial disparity would still be observed. This disparity may be attributable to higher infection rates among blacks, underreporting of gonorrhea among whites, or other factors.

The preponderance of gonorrhea cases was among adolescents and young adults (Figure 2). In 2002, 2,128 cases were reported among those 10-19 years of age, and 3,687 cases were reported among those 20-29 years of age; together, these two groups comprised 79 percent of total reported cases. Those 10-39 years of age accounted for 92 percent of all reports.

The four counties with the greatest number of reported gonorrhea cases were Marion (3,552), Allen (834), LaPorte (814), and St. Joseph (595). Adjusting for population size, LaPorte County had the highest incidence rate (738), followed by Marion County (411.9), Allen County (247), and St. Joseph County (223.7). Figure 3 shows Indiana counties with five or more reported cases of gonorrhea.

You can learn more about gonorrhea by visiting the following Web site:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/Gonorrhea/STDFact-gonorrhea.htm.

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