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Review
. 2014 Feb 4;11(2):e1001598.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001598. eCollection 2014 Feb.

Molecular diagnostics for gonorrhoea: implications for antimicrobial resistance and the threat of untreatable gonorrhoea

Nicola Low  1 , Magnus Unemo  2 , Jørgen Skov Jensen  3 , Judith Breuer  4 , Judith M Stephenson  5
Affiliations
Review

Molecular diagnostics for gonorrhoea: implications for antimicrobial resistance and the threat of untreatable gonorrhoea

Nicola Low et al. PLoS Med. .

Abstract

This Essay from Nicola Low and colleagues discusses the importance of the nucleic acid amplification tests for rapid detection of N. gonorrhoeae and its resistance determinants, as well as the importance of ensuring their rational use, as priorities for controlling both gonorrhoea and antimicrobial resistance.

Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

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Conflict of interest statement

NL is a member of the Editorial Board of PLOS Medicine. The other authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Trend in number of cases of gonorrhoea diagnosed, NAAT testing for gonorrhoea, and selected antimicrobial resistance in genitourinary medicine clinics in England and Wales.
Cases of gonorrhoea are from Public Health England; percentages of tests done using NAATs are from UK audits of asymptomatic patients in genitourinary medicine clinics (http://www.bashh.org/BASHH/BASHH_Groups/National_Audit_Group/BASHH/BASHH_Groups/National_Audit_Group.aspx?hkey=c17918b8-5c72-40bd-981f-632f89e45708). Percentage of isolates resistant to ciprofloxacin and cefixime are from reference and the 2012 report of the UK Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP, http://www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/Gonorrhoea/AntimicrobialResistance/), with values obtained using PlotDigitizer software (http://plotdigitizer.sourceforge.net/).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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