A paper in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWR) describes the first US case of Neisseria gonorrhoeae harboring a genetic element that confers resistance to a first-line antibiotic.
The N gonorrhoeae isolate, collected from an HIV-negative heterosexual man in Nevada, was identified by investigators from the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) in November 2019, when testing revealed reduced susceptibility to ceftriaxone and cefixime, but not to azithromycin. CDC previously recommended a two-drug regimen of the injectable ceftriaxone and oral azithromycin for uncomplicated gonorrhea, but as of December 17th, 2020, CDC recommends a single, higher dosage injection of ceftriaxone.
Access the full MMWR at CDC.gov. To read more about the CDC’s updated treatment guidelines for gonorrhea, visit our blog on the Essential Elements of Public Health.
