Neisseria gonorrhoeae Transmission among Men Who Have Sex with Men: An Anatomical Site-Specific Mathematical Model Evaluating the Potential Preventive Impact of Mouthwash

Abstract

Background Gonorrhoea notifications are rapidly rising in men who have sex with men (MSM). We developed a model to assess mouthwash as a novel intervention for gonorrhoea control. Methods We developed a model of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) transmission to explain anatomic site-specific prevalence of gonorrhoea among MSM. The model was calibrated to available epidemiological and behavioral data. We estimated the contribution of various sexual acts to gonorrhoea incidence and evaluate the potential impacts of screening scale-up and utilization of mouthwash on the gonorrhoea epidemic. Results We calibrated the model to prevalence of oropharyngeal, anal, and urethral gonorrhoea of 8.6% (7.7-9.5%)..