Neisseria gonorrhoeae FC428 Subclone, Vietnam, 2019-2020

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a major cause of sexually transmitted infections.
• Antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae is a growing global health concern.
• Effective treatment options for gonorrhea are becoming increasingly limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and characterize emerging antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in Vietnam.
• To assess the prevalence of specific resistant subclones.
• To evaluate the implications for gonorrhea treatment.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 114 clinical Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates collected in Vietnam (2019-2020).
• Detection of subclone sequence type 13871 within the FC428 clonal complex.
• Genotypic analysis, including identification of mosaic penA allele 60.001.

Main Results:

• Fifteen isolates of subclone ST-13871 were identified.
• Fourteen ST-13871 isolates exhibited nonsusceptibility to ceftriaxone or cefixime due to mosaic penA allele 60.001.
• Three of these 14 isolates were also nonsusceptible to azithromycin.

Conclusions:

• The emergence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae subclone ST-13871 in Vietnam is a significant public health concern.
• This resistant subclone threatens the effectiveness of current gonorrhea treatment regimens.
• Continued surveillance and antimicrobial resistance monitoring are crucial.