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. 2024 Feb;29(7):2400059.
doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.7.2400059.

Gonorrhoea on the rise in Denmark since 2022: distinct clones drive increase in heterosexual individuals

Thomas Roland Pedersen  1 , Maria Wessman  2 , Mikkel Lindegaard  1 , Søren Hallstrøm  1 , Casper Westergaard  1 , Inger Brock  3 , Esad Dzajic  4 , Dennis Back Holmgaard  5 , Christian Salgård Jensen  6 , Ulrik Stenz Justesen  7 , Jette Brommann Kornum  8 , Turid Snekloth Søndergaard  9 , Marianne Kragh Thomsen  10   11 , Henrik Westh  12   13 , Claus Østergaard  14 , Steen Hoffmann  1 , Marc Stegger  1   15
Affiliations

Gonorrhoea on the rise in Denmark since 2022: distinct clones drive increase in heterosexual individuals

Thomas Roland Pedersen et al. Euro Surveill. 2024 Feb.

Abstract

A surge in gonorrhoea in Denmark has occurred since 2022, a 46% increase from 2021. National surveillance, leveraging mandatory reporting and epidemiological data, highlights three distinct clades linked to heterosexual transmission. Despite the rise, these exhibit high susceptibility, contrasting MSM-associated strains. Geographical hotspots and age-specific patterns further illuminate transmission dynamics. The combination of genomic and epidemiological data provides novel insights into the evolving landscape of gonorrhoea, indicating potential shifts in infection dynamics and transmissibility.

Keywords: MSM; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; genomics; gonorrhoea; heterosexual; women.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of laboratory-confirmed cases of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (n = 24,516) and Chlamydia trachomatis (n = 219,748), Denmark, 2018–2023
Figure 2
Figure 2
Notified gonorrhoea cases by sex/sexual orientation, Denmark, 2011–2023a (n = 25,327)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Population structure and epidemiological investigations of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Denmark, 2018–2023
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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