Aliaksandra Aniskevich1, Iryna Shimanskaya1, Iryna Boiko2,3, Tatyana Golubovskaya4, Daniel Golparian3, Iryna Stanislavova4, Susanne Jacobsson3, Aliaksandr Adaskevich4, Magnus Unemo5. 1. Belarusian Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Minsk, Belarus. 2. Department of Functional and Laboratory Diagnostics, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ternopil, Ukraine. 3. World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), National Reference Laboratory for STIs, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. 4. Mogilev Regional Skin and Venereal Diseases Dispensary, Mogilev, Belarus. 5. World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), National Reference Laboratory for STIs, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. magnus_unemo@yahoo.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Limited antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data for Neisseria gonorrhoeae are available in Eastern Europe. We investigated AMR in N. gonorrhoeae isolates in the Republic of Belarus from 2009 to 2019, antimicrobial treatment recommended nationally, and treatment given to patients with gonorrhoea. METHODS: N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 522) cultured in three regions of Belarus in 2009-2019 were examined. Determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight antimicrobials was performed using Etest. Resistance breakpoints from the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing were applied where available. A Nitrocefin test identified β-lactamase production. Gonorrhoea treatment for 1652 patients was also analysed. Statistical significance was determined by the Z-test, Fisher's exact test, or Mann-Whitney U test with p-values of < 0.05 indicating significance. RESULTS: In total, 27.8% of the N. gonorrhoeae isolates were resistant to tetracycline, 24.7% to ciprofloxacin, 7.0% to benzylpenicillin, 2.7% to cefixime, and 0.8% to azithromycin. No isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, or gentamicin. However, 14 (2.7%) isolates had a ceftriaxone MIC of 0.125 mg/L, exactly at the resistance breakpoint (MIC > 0.125 mg/L). Only one (0.2%) isolate, from 2013, produced β-lactamase. From 2009 to 2019, the levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline were relatively high and stable. Resistance to cefixime was not identified before 2013 but peaked at 22.2% in 2017. Only sporadic isolates with resistance to azithromycin were found in 2009 (n = 1), 2012 (n = 1), and 2018-2019 (n = 2). Overall, 862 (52.2%) patients received first-line treatment according to national guidelines (ceftriaxone 1 g). However, 154 (9.3%) patients received a nationally recommended alternative treatment (cefixime 400 mg or ofloxacin 400 mg), and 636 (38.5%) were given non-recommended treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The gonococcal resistance to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline was high, however, the resistance to azithromycin was low and no resistance to ceftriaxone was identified. Ceftriaxone 1 g can continuously be recommended as empiric first-line gonorrhoea therapy in Belarus. Fluoroquinolones should not be prescribed for treatment if susceptibility has not been confirmed by testing. Timely updating and high compliance with national evidence-based gonorrhoea treatment guidelines based on quality-assured AMR data are imperative. The need for continued, improved and enhanced surveillance of gonococcal AMR in Belarus is evident.
BACKGROUND: Limited antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data for Neisseria gonorrhoeae are available in Eastern Europe. We investigated AMR in N. gonorrhoeae isolates in the Republic of Belarus from 2009 to 2019, antimicrobial treatment recommended nationally, and treatment given to patients with gonorrhoea. METHODS:N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 522) cultured in three regions of Belarus in 2009-2019 were examined. Determination of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight antimicrobials was performed using Etest. Resistance breakpoints from the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing were applied where available. A Nitrocefin test identified β-lactamase production. Gonorrhoea treatment for 1652 patients was also analysed. Statistical significance was determined by the Z-test, Fisher's exact test, or Mann-Whitney U test with p-values of < 0.05 indicating significance. RESULTS: In total, 27.8% of the N. gonorrhoeae isolates were resistant to tetracycline, 24.7% to ciprofloxacin, 7.0% to benzylpenicillin, 2.7% to cefixime, and 0.8% to azithromycin. No isolates were resistant to ceftriaxone, spectinomycin, or gentamicin. However, 14 (2.7%) isolates had a ceftriaxone MIC of 0.125 mg/L, exactly at the resistance breakpoint (MIC > 0.125 mg/L). Only one (0.2%) isolate, from 2013, produced β-lactamase. From 2009 to 2019, the levels of resistance to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline were relatively high and stable. Resistance to cefixime was not identified before 2013 but peaked at 22.2% in 2017. Only sporadic isolates with resistance to azithromycin were found in 2009 (n = 1), 2012 (n = 1), and 2018-2019 (n = 2). Overall, 862 (52.2%) patients received first-line treatment according to national guidelines (ceftriaxone 1 g). However, 154 (9.3%) patients received a nationally recommended alternative treatment (cefixime 400 mg or ofloxacin 400 mg), and 636 (38.5%) were given non-recommended treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The gonococcal resistance to ciprofloxacin and tetracycline was high, however, the resistance to azithromycin was low and no resistance to ceftriaxone was identified. Ceftriaxone 1 g can continuously be recommended as empiric first-line gonorrhoea therapy in Belarus. Fluoroquinolones should not be prescribed for treatment if susceptibility has not been confirmed by testing. Timely updating and high compliance with national evidence-based gonorrhoea treatment guidelines based on quality-assured AMR data are imperative. The need for continued, improved and enhanced surveillance of gonococcal AMR in Belarus is evident.
Authors: Magnus Unemo; Monica M Lahra; Michelle Cole; Patricia Galarza; Francis Ndowa; Irene Martin; Jo-Anne R Dillon; Pilar Ramon-Pardo; Gail Bolan; Teodora Wi Journal: Sex Health Date: 2019-09 Impact factor: 2.706
Authors: Magnus Unemo; H Steven Seifert; Edward W Hook; Sarah Hawkes; Francis Ndowa; Jo-Anne R Dillon Journal: Nat Rev Dis Primers Date: 2019-11-21 Impact factor: 52.329
Authors: Jane Rowley; Stephen Vander Hoorn; Eline Korenromp; Nicola Low; Magnus Unemo; Laith J Abu-Raddad; R Matthew Chico; Alex Smolak; Lori Newman; Sami Gottlieb; Soe Soe Thwin; Nathalie Broutet; Melanie M Taylor Journal: Bull World Health Organ Date: 2019-06-06 Impact factor: 9.408