Distinguishing importation from diversification of quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae by molecular evolutionary analysis
2007

Understanding Quinolone-Resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Israel

Sample size: 48 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Pérez-Losada Marcos, Crandall Keith A, Bash Margaret C, Dan Michael, Zenilman Jonathan, Viscidi Raphael P

Primary Institution: Brigham Young University

Hypothesis

Can molecular evolutionary analyses distinguish between the importation and diversification of quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae?

Conclusion

The study shows that quinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae were likely introduced into Israel on at least three occasions and have undergone limited diversification.

Supporting Evidence

  • Phylogenetic analyses indicated QRNG were introduced on three separate occasions.
  • Reconstruction of N. gonorrhoeae demography showed a declining effective strain population size from 1976 to 1993.
  • An increase in effective strain population size was observed from 1999 to 2001.

Takeaway

This study looks at how a type of bacteria that resists certain medicines came to Israel and how it changed over time.

Methodology

Molecular evolutionary analyses were applied to DNA sequences from 9 housekeeping genes and resistance genes of 24 quinolone-resistant and 24 sensitive isolates.

Limitations

The small sample size of 48 strains may limit the generalizability of the findings.

Participant Demographics

Isolates were collected from male urethral samples in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1471-2148-7-84

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