Molecular Characteristics and Gonococcal Genetic Island Carrying Status of Thirty-Seven Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates in Eastern China

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the carrying situation of N. gonorrhoeae genetic island (GGI), and to understand the existence of GGI of different multilocus sequence types (MLST), so as to provide evidence for epidemiology.

Methods

From January 2018 to December 2020, a total of 37 clinical isolates of N. gonorrhoeae were collected. Resistance to tetracycline, β-lactam, and azithromycin were measured. Genes in GGI (atlA, traG, and traH) were amplified via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All clinical isolates were subjected to N. gonorrhoeae MLST.

Results

The GGI of N. gonorrhoeae were widespread, and the positive detection rates of atlA, traG and traH were all 81.08% (30/37). In this study, atlA, traG and traH were always detected positive together. No significant difference in the positive rate of the GGI between the azithromycin-sensitive and the resistance groups or between the β-lactam positive and negative groups (P > 0.05) was found; however, there was a significant difference between the high-level tetracycline-resistant group and the non-high-level resistant group (P < 0.05), with the carrier rates being 60.00% and 94.45%, respectively. Among the 37 isolates studied, 12 distinct MLST were determined, while MLST ST8123 occurred most frequently, accounting for 18.91% (7/37), followed by ST1928, ST7367 and ST7822, all 13.51% (5/37).

Conclusion

N. gonorrhoeae typed as ST1928, ST1901, ST1588 and ST7822, the GGI were all positive. These four types are more likely to become highly virulent strains.

Keywords:

• Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• pathogenicity islands
• drug resistance
• TRNG
• MLST

Ethics Statement

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee in Clinical Research of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Issuing No. KY2022-R118). No informed consent was required due to the observational nature of the study, which focused on bacteria and did no interventions on patients. All the patient information was anonymized and de-identified. Therefore, the Ethics Committee in Clinical Research of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University waived the need for consent. All experiments were performed in compliance with the relevant laws and institutional guidelines and in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Bureau of Wenzhou City, China (No. Y2020939) and Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province (2022E10022).

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.