Problems posed by potential gonococcal vaccines viewed from the vantage point of a control agency.

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Abstract
Progress in the characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae suggests that immunoprophylaxis for [human] gonorrhea may be possible despite the well-known propensity for reinfection. Pili, outer membrane proteins, a capsular polysaccharide and the lipopolysaccharide may be important gonococcal virulence factors, and immune components (probably antibodies) to more than 1 of these antigens may be required to confer immunity. A study of antigenic polymorphism of these structures should identify disease isolates more precisely and provide information about the relationship between variants of these gonococcal structures and gonococcal virulence.