The prevalence and dynamics of beta-lactamase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains in 2010–2020

Introduction:
Gonorrhea is the second most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease after chlamydiosis, and its incidence in both Europe and the United States has been increasing recently. Treatment of gonorrhea is made more difficult by the increasing resistance of the causative agent, Neisseria gonorrhoeae to antibiotics. Resistance to penicillin and, in particular, the production of beta-lactamase has led to the discontinuation of penicillin in the treatment of gonorrhea. However, monitoring the production of this enzyme is still important if only as part of the characterization of individual strains and because of the potential risk of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in N. gonorrhoeae.

Objective:
To investigate the production of beta-lactamase in N. gonorrhoeae isolated from patients of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology of the Medical University of Warsaw in 2010–2020.

Material and methods:
A total of 1997 N. gonorrhoeae isolates routinely cultured from outpatients of the Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Medical University of Warsaw, from 2010 to 2020 were examined. Cefinase assay was used to test for the presence of beta-lactamase.

Results:
Beta-lactamase was produced by an average of 5.66% of the isolates tested. A significant increase in the percentage of strains producing this enzyme, to a maximum of 18.8%, was observed in 2018, with a sharp decline in subsequent years. In 2020, beta-lactamase was produced by 0% of the strains tested.

Conclusions:
The percentage of N. gonorrhoeae strains that produce beta-lactamase shows a high variability over time, which is probably related to the spread of strains belonging to different genogroups and differing significantly from one another.