The sexually transmitted diseases constitute an enormous public health problem in most parts of the world. This article concentrates on gonorrhea and summarizes the magnitude of the problem, reviews current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms employed by the gonococcus to establish infection, and describes the immunochemistry and genetics of the gonococcal surface antigens. It is pointed out that pili and protein II show marked heterogeneity, and that this probably represents a response by the organism to the selective pressure imposed by the human immune system. This evidence for the effectiveness of the immune system augurs well for the eventual success of a gonorrhea vaccine. The prospects for the antigens currently under study in a number of laboratories and strategies now being employed to circumvent the problems posed by antigenic heterogeneity are summarized.

作者：E C, Gotschlich

来源：Bulletin of the World Health Organization 1984 年 62卷 5期