Open AccessFirst characterisation of antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Qatar, 2017–2020
Author(s) -
Muna Almaslamani,
Emad Bashier Ibrahim Elmagboul,
Aslam Puthiyottil,
Hiam Chemaitelly,
Manoj Kizhakkepeedikayil Varghese,
Hamad Eid Al Romaihi,
Mohamed H. Al-Thani,
Abdullatif Al Khal,
Magnus Unemo,
Laith J. AbuRaddad
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0264737
Subject(s) - neisseria gonorrhoeae , etest , ceftriaxone , azithromycin , ciprofloxacin , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , antibiotic resistance , minimum inhibitory concentration , tetracycline , cefixime , gonorrhea , antimicrobial , biology , antibiotics , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)
Limited data are available regarding antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains circulating in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). We investigated the antimicrobial susceptibility/resistance of N . gonorrhoeae isolates to five antimicrobials (ceftriaxone, azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and benzylpenicillin) currently or previously used for gonorrhoea treatment in Qatar, 2017–2020. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs; mg/L) of antimicrobials were determined using Etest on gonococcal isolates collected during January 1, 2017-August 30, 2020 at Hamad Medical Corporation, a national public healthcare provider. During 2017–2020, resistance in isolates from urogenital sites of 433 patients was 64.7% (95% CI: 59.5–69.6%; range: 43.9–78.7%) for ciprofloxacin, 50.7% (95% CI: 45.3–56.1%; range: 41.3–70.4%) for tetracycline, and 30.8% (95% CI: 26.3–35.6%; range: 26.7–35.8%) for benzylpenicillin. Percentage of isolates non-susceptible to azithromycin was 4.1% (95% CI: 2.0–7.4%; range: 2.7–4.8%) and all (100%) isolates were susceptible to ceftriaxone. Two (1.6%) isolates from 2019 and one (2.2%) isolate from 2020 had high-level resistance to azithromycin (MIC≥256 mg/L). Overall, 1.0% (4/418) of isolates had a ceftriaxone MIC of 0.25 mg/L, which is at the ceftriaxone susceptibility breakpoint (MIC≤0.25 mg/L). Treatment with ceftriaxone 250 mg plus azithromycin 1 g can continuously be recommended for gonorrhoea therapy in Qatar. Continued quality-assured gonococcal AMR surveillance is warranted in EMR.