RESUMO
During the periods 2000-2004 and 2014-2015, Neisseria meningitidis was investigated in men who have sex with men, 1143 and 544 respectively, who consulted in the sexually-transmitted disease program. Prevalence, serogroup distribution and susceptibility to antibiotics were determined. Pharyngeal, rectal and urethral swabs were cultivated on selective Thayer-Martin modified medium. The identification was performed by biochemical tests and mass spectrometry by MALDI-TOF. Serogroups B, C, W and Y were investigated by PCR in 85 isolates recovered from the pharynx belonging to the second period. MICs of penicillin, ceftriaxone, rifampicin, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin were determined for 66 and 102 isolates from periods 1 and 2 respectively, according to CLSI. The prevalence of N. meningitidis was 17.8% and 28.1%, in periods 1 and 2 respectively; the isolates were mainly recovered from the pharynx. The distribution of serogroups was B 31.5%; Y 7.6%; W 3.3% and 9.8% non-capsulated and the rest would belong to other serogroups. Isolates classified as intermediate to penicillin were 34.8% and 63.7% (first and second periods, respectively); moreover, 11.8% of the isolates from the second period were resistant. All isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone, to ciprofloxacin (except 3 isolates with MIC values between 0.25 and 0.5µg/ml), 3% were resistant to rifampicin and 2% were not susceptible to azithromicin. The prevalence of N. meningitidis carriage in men who have sex with men was high with a high rate of penicillin non-susceptible isolates. B was the prevalent serogroup.