Objective: To obtain insight into the incidence of gonorrhoea and Chlamydia trachomatis infection (CT infection), and to identify any increase in these rates in a general practice in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Design: Descriptive.
Method: Details were obtained from the automated registration system about all registered episodes of gonorrhoea (coded according to the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC): Y71 for men and X71 for women), and CT infection (code Y99 for men and X85 for women) during the period 1996-2000.
Results: In total, the diagnosis 'gonorrhoea' was made 26 times (15 times in men and 11 times in women), and the diagnosis 'CT infection' was made 79 times (21 times in men and 58 times in women). The annual number of cases of gonorrhoea increased from 4 in 1996 to 14 in 2000. The number of cases of CT infection rose from 7 to 29 per year. The increases were seen in both men and women.
Conclusion: In the practice population of a healthcare centre in a multicultural district in south-east Amsterdam, an increase in gonorrhoea and CT infections was observed during the period 1996-2000.