Characterization of azithromycin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Tokyo in 2005–2011

• Published in: Journal of infection and chemotherapy : official journal of the Japan Society of Chemotherapy Vol. 20; no. 5; pp. 339 - 341
• Main Authors: Takayama, Yoshiko, Nakayama, Shu-ichi, Shimuta, Ken, Morita-Ishihara, Tomoko, Ohnishi, Makoto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Azithromycin; Azithromycin - pharmacology; Drug resistance; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Neisseria gonorrhoeae - drug effects; Neisseria gonorrhoeae - isolation & purification; Surveillance; Time Factors; Treatment guidelines; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Surveillance; Drug resistance; Treatment guidelines; Azithromycin
• ISSN: 1341-321X; 1437-7780
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiac.2014.01.007

Abstract A total of 122 Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in the Tokyo metropolitan area in 2005–2011 were collected and analyzed by N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) and for their susceptibility to azithromycin and ceftriaxone. All 122 strains were susceptible to ceftriaxone, but 8 strains were azithromycin-resistant, defined as an azithromycin MIC ≥ 1 μg/ml. The 8 azithromycin-resistant strains were in 6 NG-MAST types, 3 strains in NG-MAST type 1407 and each of the other 5 strains in a different NG-MAST type. NG-MAST type 1407 strains are multidrug-resistant and are disseminated worldwide.