Chlamydia trachomatis—the causative agent of Chlamydia infection—and
Neisseria gonorrhoeae—the causative agent of gonorrhea—cause a significant burden of disease globally. In 2020, there were over 1.5 million cases of chlamydia and over 675,000 cases of gonorrhea reported to the CDC. Of particular concern, gonorrhea has progressively developed resistance to the antibiotic drugs prescribed to treat it, severely limiting available treatment options. Further resistance will significantly complicate the ability of providers to treat gonorrhea successfully. For this reason it is critical to maintain the capability to monitor and detect emerging drug resistance in
N. gonorrhoeae.
Recommendations for Laboratory-based Detection of
Chlamydia trachomatis and
N. gonorrhoeae
Following the 2009 Expert Consultation the CDC released recommendations for laboratory-based detection of
C. trachomatis and
N. gonorrhoeae infections in 2014. The new recommendations provide information regarding optimal specimen types, the use of tests to detect rectal and oropharyngeal infections, and circumstances when supplemental testing is indicated. The recommendations are intended for use by laboratory directors and staff, clinicians and disease control programs.
In order to evaluate uptake of the
CDC recommendations APHL surveyed clinical laboratories in the United States on 2013 and 2015 testing practices. View the summary data report and filterable data dashboards from the 2013 Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Clinical Laboratory Practices Survey.
Transportation of Specimens for Culture of
N. gonorrhoeae
Currently, the most common laboratory methods available to detect antimicrobial resistance in
N. gonorrhoeae require culture. APHL's
updated guide provides a resource to help laboratories select the most appropriate specimen transport systems and processes for effective culture of
N. gonorrhoeae. Culture of the organism is an essential first step in antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the fastidious pathogen, which has recently been
developing concerning resistance patterns. As culture is hampered by the organism's fastidious nature, attention to details surrounding specimen transport is especially important.
Etest® for
N. gonorrhea Training Module
Estimated Time: 15 minutes
Provides an overview of proper set up and interpretation of the Etest® method of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for
N. gonorrhoeae.
This training module was updated in 2020 with the most current information and recommendations. You can access this module through our Learning Center.