1. Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP)
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae (GC) culture specimen streaking

2. Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Gonorrhea is a bacterial STD
Sequelae of untreated infection include
Pelvic inflammatory disease
Infertility
Chronic pelvic pain
Increases risk of HIV transmission and acquisition
Gonorrhea is second most frequently reported communicable disease in the U.S.

3. Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents
1970’s – penicillin- and tetracycline- resistant N. gonorrhoeae appeared, leading to abandonment of these therapies for gonorrhea
1990’s to present – prevalence of fluoroquinolone resistant N. gonorrhoeae (QRNG) has been increasing
CDC recommends that fluoroquinolones (FQs) no longer be used to treat gonorrhea acquired in Hawaii, Pacific Islands, or Asia; need travel history for all GC patients

4. Gonoccocal Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents (continued)
CDC recommends that use of FQs in California and in other areas with increased QRNG may be inadvisable
2004 – Due to increases in QRNG, CDC recommends that FQs no longer be used to treat gonorrhea
Current CDC recommended primary therapies for GC are:
Cefixime, Ceftriaxone, Ciprofloxacin, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin
PLUS, IF CHLAMYDIAL INFECTION IS NOT RULED OUT Azithromycin OR Doxycycline

5. The Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP)
Increasing rates of gonorrhea and ciprofloxacin resistance pose challenges to disease control.
GISP is the national sentinel surveillance system established in 1986 by CDC. Consists of public STD clinics in 30 US cities and 5 regional labs. 25 male gonococcal isolates tested from each site each month.
The LA Sentinel Site was established in It includes 2 high-volume STD clinics with diverse populations, South Health Center and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center (LAGLC).
The Gonoccocal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) is an example of how increased surveillance by clinics and labs can impact disease treatment.

6. Establishing LA as a GISP Site
In mid-March 2003, the two STD clinics began collecting urethral cultures from males presenting with expressible urethral discharge characteristic of gonorrhea.
Clinics collected demographic, clinical, and client-reported behavioral data.
Gonococcal isolates presumptively identified by the LA County Public Health Lab were shipped to the Denver GISP Regional Lab for confirmation and antibiotic susceptibility testing by agar dilution.

7. GISP — Location of participating clinics and regional laboratories: United States, 2004
Adapted from CDC slides

8. GISP Percent of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with resistance to ciprofloxacin by sexual behavior, 2001–2004
Adapted from CDC slides

9. GISP Penicillin and tetracycline resistance among GISP isolates, 2004
Note: PPNG=penicillinase-producing N. gonorrhoeae; TRNG=plasmid-mediated tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae; PPNG-TRNG=plasmid-mediated penicillin- and tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae; PenR=chromosomally mediated penicillin resistant N. gonorrhoeae; TetR=chromosomally mediated tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae; CMRNG=chromosomally mediated penicillin- and tetracycline-resistant N. gonorrhoeae.
Adapted from CDC slides

10. GISP - Percent of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates with resistance or intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin, 1990–2004
Note: Resistant isolates have ciprofloxacin MICs ≥ 1 µg/ml. Isolates with intermediate resistance have ciprofloxacin MICs of µg/ml. Susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was first measured in GISP in 1990.
Adapted from CDC slides

11. LA GISP Isolates by Clinic March 2003 – June 2005

12. Race/Ethnicity of GISP Participants
March 2003 – June 2005
N=572

13. Sexual Orientation of GISP Participants
March 2003 – June 2005
Overall, the majority of the gonorrhea positive men were heterosexual (62%). However, when separated by clinic, 96% of men from South Health Center were heterosexual, while 97% of men from LAGLC were either homosexual or bisexual.
N=572

14. Number of Isolates

15. HIV Status, Positive Cultures and Resistant Isolates
Number of Isolates

16. Resistance and Decreased Antimicrobial Susceptibility
Number of Isolates
N=572

17. L.A. GISP Project Total 21% reported non-injection drug use
7% used antibiotics
7% traveled outside CA
1% reported injection drug use
1% was involved in sex work
During the 60 days prior to diagnosis of gonorrhea, GISP patients reported the following behaviors.

18. L.A. GISP TREATMENT FOR GC AND CHL
Primary treatment for gonorrhea:
Ceftriaxone 250 mg (93%)
Primary treatment for chlamydia:
Azithromycin 1 g (98%)
The antimicrobial agents given to GISP participants are shown here.

19. Ciprofloxacin-Resistant GC in California
Prevalence of cipro-resistant GC in CA >10% in 2002
CA GC Tx Recommendations:
Avoid the use of fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and levofloxacin) to treat GC in California.
Use ceftriaxone 125mg by intramuscular (IM) injection to treat uncomplicated gonococcal infections of the cervix, urethra, and rectum
Fluoroquinolones (Cipro) are no longer recommended by the CDC as treatment for GC in CA as of 2002.

20. The Problem with QRNG
Limited availability of a recommended oral treatment regimen for gonorrhea poses practical problems for treating QRNG.
Besides the fluoroquinolones, cefixime, whose manufacture was discontinued in 2002, is the only CDC-recommended oral agent for treating gonorrhea.
The health departments of California and Washington state have suggested alternative oral treatments (e.g., cefpodoxime 400 mg) that have not yet been evaluated adequately.
Cipro was orally administered. The only other oral single dose tx was cefixime, but its production was discontinued in No other single dose oral antimicrobial regimen meets efficacy and safety criteria. Ceftriaxone 125 mg IM (intramuscular) single dose is the current recommended tx in CA. Cefpodoxime is being researched as an oral alternative for GC tx.

21. The Challenges of Monitoring Gonococcal Resistance
Few labs perform susceptibility testing. Mainly public health labs, yet >60% GC reported from private sector.
Absence of culture testing, so no organisms for susceptibility testing. Non-culture tests (amplified tests) rapidly replacing culture. Some health depts no longer have GC culture capacity at all.

22. The Challenges of Monitoring Gonococcal Resistance (continued)
Bias toward over-representation of data from rectal and pharyngeal sources. Culture is the preferred test for these anatomic sites (other tests not recommended). Less data from urethral and endocervical sites due to increased Nucleic Acid Amplification Test usage.
Limited sampling of certain populations: military, women, private patients

23. More Information Clinical Lab Survey Report, 2002 GISP
The "Reports" section contains this and other reports published by the LA County STD Program.
GISP
Resource website for information on antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae.