Resistance-Guided Therapy for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

Abstract Antimicrobial-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections are a threat to public health. Novel strategies for combating such resistance include the development of molecular assays to facilitate real-time prediction of antimicrobial susceptibility. Resistance to ciprofloxacin is determined by the presence of a single mutation at codon 91 of the gyrase A gene; molecular assays to guide therapy are commercially available. Resistance to cefixime is conferred via 1 of 6 critical mutations in either the mosaic penA gene or specific loci in the nonmosaic region. Resistance to ceftriaxone is conferred through mutations in 1 of 4 genes: penA, ponA, penB, and mtr; however, the ability to predict reduced susceptibility based on those genes varies by geographic region. Here, we highlight the work done toward the development of 3 such assays for ciprofloxacin, cefixime, and ceftriaxone, discuss the status of our current understanding and ongoing challenges, and suggest future directions.