title: First antimicrobial resistance data and genetic characteristics of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from Estonia, 2009-2013.
abstract: Gonorrhoea is a sexually transmitted infection with major public health implications and Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to all antimicrobials introduced for treatment. Enhanced surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae is crucial globally. This is the first internationally reported antimicrobial resistance data for N. gonorrhoeae from Estonia (44 isolates cultured in 2009-2013). A high prevalence of resistance was observed for azithromycin, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. One and two isolates with resistance and decreased susceptibility to the last remaining first-line treatment option ceftriaxone, respectively, were identified. It is crucial to implement surveillance of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance (ideally also treatment failures) in Estonia.
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology, Örebro University Hospital Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golparian
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Tartu Tartu, Estonia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brilene
authors.affiliation: Pärnu Hospital Pärnu, Estonia.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Laaring
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory of Communicable Diseases, Estonian Health Board Tallinn, Estonia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Viktorova
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology, Örebro University Hospital Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Johansson
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases, Uppsala County Council Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Domeika
authors.affiliation: WHO Collaborating Centre for Gonorrhoea and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, National Reference Laboratory for Pathogenic Neisseria, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Microbiology, Örebro University Hospital Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unemo
keywords: Antimicrobial resistance; Estonia; N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing; Neisseria gonorrhoeae; gonorrhoea