Journal
EVOLUTION OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS IN RELATION TO SEX
Volume 1230, Issue -, Pages E19-E28Publisher
BLACKWELL SCIENCE PUBL
DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06215.x
Keywords
Neisseria gonorrhoeae; gonorrhea; antimicrobial resistance; genetics; evolution
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Funding
- NIAID NIH HHS [R37 AI021150, U19 AI031496, R01 AI021150] Funding Source: Medline
- BLRD VA [I01 BX000112] Funding Source: Medline
- VA [5I01BX000112-03] Funding Source: Federal RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES [U19AI031496, R01AI021150, R37AI021150] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- Veterans Affairs [I01BX000112] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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The strict human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae has caused gonorrhea for thousands of years, and currently gonorrhea is the second most prevalent bacterial sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Given the ancient nature of N. gonorrhoeae and its unique obligate relationship with humankind over the millennia, its remarkable ability to adapt to the host immune system and cause repeated infections, and its propensity to develop resistance to all clinically useful antibiotics, the gonococcus is an ideal pathogen on which to study the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis, including antimicrobial resistance, over the long term and within the host during infection. Recently, the first gonococcus displaying high-level resistance to ceftriaxone, identified in Japan, was characterized in detail. Ceftriaxone is the last remaining option for empirical first-line treatment, and N. gonorrhoeae now seems to be evolving into a true superbug. In the near future, gonorrhea may become untreatable in certain circumstances. Herein, the history of antibiotics used for treatment of gonorrhea, the evolution of resistance emergence in N. gonorrhoeae, the linkage between resistance and biological fitness of N. gonorrhoeae, lessons learned, and future perspectives are reviewed and discussed.
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