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Nat Commun 2021 06 21;12(1):3801. Epub 2021 Jun 21.

Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

The recent emergence of strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae associated with treatment failures to ceftriaxone, the foundation of current treatment options, has raised concerns over a future of untreatable gonorrhea. Current global data on gonococcal strains suggest that several lineages, predominately characterized by mosaic penA alleles, are associated with elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to extended spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs). Here we report on whole genome sequences of 813 N. Read More

PLoS One 2021 17;16(6):e0252961. Epub 2021 Jun 17.

Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America.

N. gonorrhoeae is one of the most pressing antibiotic resistant threats of our time and low-cost diagnostics that can easily identify antibiotic resistance are desperately needed. However, N. Read More

Am J Mens Health 2021 May-Jun;15(3):15579883211026830

Department of Community Health Systems, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.

The risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) is driven by various socio-behavioral factors. From 2015-2017, 247 MSM ≥ 18 years-old who reported alcohol use in the past year, were recruited into a cross-sectional study in San Francisco. Participants completed a survey assessing socio-demographics, substance use and treatment, sexual behaviors, HIV status and self-reported STI diagnosis in the past 6 months. Read More

J Infect Dis 2021 Jun 16. Epub 2021 Jun 16.

Bureau of Sexually Transmitted Infections, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, USA.

Early in the COVID-19 crisis, a statewide executive order ("PAUSE") severely restricted the movement of New Yorkers from March 23-June 7, 2020. We used NYC surveillance data for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis to describe trends in diagnosis and reporting surrounding PAUSE. During PAUSE, the volume of positive HIV/STI tests, and diagnoses of HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis declined substantially, reaching a nadir in April before rebounding. Read More

PLoS One 2021 15;16(6):e0252923. Epub 2021 Jun 15.

Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

Purpose: The present study sought to investigate the common abnormalities and mtDNA mutations in the sperm of Ghanaian men attending the fertility Clinic at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). The study therefore provides a baseline data mtDNA mutations in a cross-section of Ghanaian men on referral to the fertility clinic at the KBTH.

Materials And Methods: The semen of 55 men attending the fertility clinic were collected from the Urology and the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments of the KBTH. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2021 Jun 12;21(1):559. Epub 2021 Jun 12.

WHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other STIs, National Reference Laboratory for STIs, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University Hospital, SE-701 85, Örebro, Sweden.

Background: Gonorrhoea and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Neisseria gonorrhoeae are significant public health concerns globally. Nearly no gonococcal AMR data are available from Central Asia, and no data from Kyrgyzstan has been published. We examined, for the first time, AMR and molecular epidemiology of N. Read More

Genomics 2021 Jun 9;113(4):2730-2743. Epub 2021 Jun 9.

Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address:

Mycoplasma genitalium is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is responsible for several sexually transmitted infections, including non-gonococcal urethritis in men and several inflammatory reproductive tract syndromes in women. Here, we applied subtractive genomics and reverse vaccinology approaches for in silico prediction of potential vaccine and drug targets against five strains of M. genitalium. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2021 Jun 8;278:114313. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Department of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong, 4318, Bangladesh; Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retz.) DC. is a perennial shrub indigenous to the tropical and subtropical regions of India, China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippine, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Australia. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

In the United States, it is estimated that 1% to 4% of pregnant women are infected with hepatitis C virus, which carries approximately a 5% risk of transmission from mother to infant. Hepatitis C virus can be transmitted to the infant in utero or during the peripartum period, and infection during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes, including fetal growth restriction and low birthweight. The purpose of this document is to discuss the current evidence, provide updated recommendations regarding screening, review treatment, and address management of hepatitis C virus during pregnancy. Read More

Oper Res 2019 May-Jun;67(3):599-904. Epub 2019 May 10.

Division of Health Policy & Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health threat. In the U.S. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Jan 12. Epub 2021 Jan 12.

*School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA †Departments of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA ‡Departments of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA §Emergency Medicine; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA ¶Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection remains highly prevalent and young women are disproportionately affected. Most CT-infected women are asymptomatic and their infection often goes unrecognized and untreated. We hypothesized that testing for active CT infection with molecular diagnostics and obtaining a reported history of CT infection underestimates the prevalence of current and past CT infection, and incorporating serum CT antibody testing in addition to these other prevalence measures would generate more accurate estimates of the prevalence of CT infection in asymptomatic young women. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Feb 11. Epub 2021 Feb 11.

National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allocates funds annually to state and local programs in the United States to monitor and prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). In 2014 a funding formula was implemented to allocate prevention funds to jurisdictions according to their STD burden and population size. We estimated the effect of implementing the funding formula in terms of gonorrhea cases averted from 2014-2018, a period during which inflation-adjusted CDC STD prevention funding declined. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Mar 16. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

1California Prevention Training Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 2Kaiser Permanente Regional Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 3Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA 4The Permanente Medical Group, Oakland, CA.

We implemented self-collected gonorrhea/chlamydia (GC/CT) testing in 17 medical centers in California serving men who have sex with men living with HIV. From 2012-2018, GC/CT testing increased from 45.2% to 63. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Mar 16. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

1School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China. 2School of Public Health, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan 646000, China. 3School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 510006, China. 4Department of AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chongqing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chongqing 400042, China. 5Department of AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 300011, China. 6Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518000, China. 7Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are particularly at increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and related malignancies. Rectal douching, commonly practiced among MSM, has been associated in HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and viral hepatitis in cross-sectional studies. We conducted this study to understand the association between self-reported rectal douching and anal HPV among YMSM in China. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Mar 16. Epub 2021 Mar 16.

1Rietmeijer Consulting, LLC 2Denver Public Health Department, Denver Health and Hospital 3Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Denver.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and primary/secondary syphilis rates in 2018 were significantly higher in counties located in states without Medicaid expansion compared to those with Medicaid expansion. For STI combined, 59.9% of counties without Medicaid expansion were in the highest two STI rate quartiles compared to 42. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Mar 12. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

1Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK 2Leeds Institute for Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, UK 3Leeds Sexual Health, UK 4Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK 5Public Health England, UK 6NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, UK 7NIHR Health Protection Research Centre in Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections, University of Oxford, UK.

Background: Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted infection of global concern. We investigated whole genome sequencing (WGS) as a tool to measure and enhance partner notification (PN) in gonorrhea management.

Methods: Between May-November 2018, all N. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Mar 12. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

1Department of Dermatology, First People's Hospital of Changshu City, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changshu, Jiangsu Province215500, P. R. China 2Department of Dermatology, Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital of Changshu City, Changshu, Jiangsu Province215500, P. R. China 3Department of Urinary Surgery, First People's Hospital of Changsha City, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changshu, Jiangsu Province215500, P.R. China 4Department of Clinical Laboratory, First People's Hospital of Changshu City, Changshu Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Changshu, Jiangsu Province215500, P. R China.

Background: No studies have focused on the prevalence and clinical manifestations of penile gonococcal cutaneous and accessory gland infections in men with gonorrhea.

Methods: We enrolled patients with penile gonococcal cutaneous and accessory gland infections and patients with urethral gonorrhea from January 2014 to February 2020. Demographic data, occurrence sites, and manifestations of all patients were recorded. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 May 14. Epub 2021 May 14.

1Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.

Introduction: Point-of-care (POC) tests enable immediate diagnosis and targeted treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which could accelerate control of ongoing epidemics. Although older nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have improved the accuracy of lab-based tests for STIs, newer POC tests can facilitate control efforts. We sought to review the performance and time-to-result of POC assays for STIs in the last ten years. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Jun 10. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Division of Infectious Diseases, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA Sexual Health Clinic, Columbus Public Health, Columbus, Ohio, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA Division of General Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a common reason for evaluation in the emergency department (ED). Given the overlapping risk factors for STIs, patients screened for gonorrhea and chlamydia should be tested for syphilis and HIV. Syphilis and HIV testing rates in the ED have been reported to be low. Read More

Int J STD AIDS 2021 Jun 5:9564624211013289. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

National Reference Center for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Clinical Reference Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, 567788Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.

During the first two waves of COVID-19, several physical restriction measurements were imposed in Belgium. Our aim was to explore the impact of these restriction measures on the number of tests and positivity rate of (CT) (NG) before, during, and after the two lockdowns in Belgium. molecular data of a Belgian STI clinic were extracted for 2019 and 2020, and both years were divided into four periods (pre-lockdown 1, lockdown 1, after lockdown 1, and lockdown 2). Read More

Int J Mol Epidemiol Genet 2021 15;12(2):16-23. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center Beirut, Lebanon.

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are caused by a variety of pathogens transmitted by sexual activity. Untreated infections can cause major complications with a substantial high cost on health sector. With the development of molecular techniques, STD screening became easier with a high sensitivity and specificity. Read More

Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2021 13;2021:7865405. Epub 2021 May 13.

Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Sciences and Technology, Wuhan, China.

( gonococci, or GC), the etiologic agent of gonorrhea, is a human-obligate bacterial pathogen. The GC surface contains pili that mediate the adherence to host cells. Studies have shown that GC pili, coded by pilin genes, undergo remarkable changes during human experimental gonorrhea, possibly generated by DNA phase variation during infection. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2021 21;12:682135. Epub 2021 May 21.

WHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other STIs, National Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.

Antimicrobial resistance in is threatening the treatment and control of gonorrhea globally, and new treatment options are imperative. Utilizing our dynamic hollow fiber infection model (HFIM), we examined the pharmacodynamics of the first-in-class spiropyrimidinetrione (DNA gyrase B inhibitors), zoliflodacin, against the reference strains World Health Organization F (susceptible to all relevant antimicrobials) and WHO X (extensively drug resistant, including resistance to ceftriaxone) over 7 days. Dose-range experiments with both strains, simulating zoliflodacin single oral dose regimens of 0. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Jun 5. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA Department of Epidemiology, Emory Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, NY.

Background: Treating chlamydia and gonorrhea in pregnancy has been shown to decrease the associated risk of preterm birth in some studies. Delayed treatment of these infections among non-pregnant patients carries known consequences. It is unclear whether delayed treatment in pregnancy similarly increases adverse outcomes. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Jun 5. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of STD Prevention, Atlanta, GA Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI.

Abstract: Since 2010, reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates decreased among Black women aged 15-19 years and were stable for Black women 20-24 in the United States. Rates increased for older Black women 25-39 and all White women. The Black:White rate ratio decreased across age groups. Read More

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2021 Jun 1;50(9):102176. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Israel; affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Introduction: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an infection of the upper genital organs, diagnosed by clinical findings. The nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) identify sexually transmitted (STD) pathogens from endocervical swabs, via real time PCR. This study explored the prevalence of STD detected by NAAT for women with PID. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2021 Jun 2;21(1):520. Epub 2021 Jun 2.

World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), National Reference Laboratory for STIs, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.

Background: Limited antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data for Neisseria gonorrhoeae are available in Eastern Europe. We investigated AMR in N. gonorrhoeae isolates in the Republic of Belarus from 2009 to 2019, antimicrobial treatment recommended nationally, and treatment given to patients with gonorrhoea. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2021 Jun 1. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

Magnolia OB/GYN Myrtle Beach, SC Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.