Instructions for Shipping Disseminated Gonorrhea Infection (DGI) Isolates to CDC

Instructions

1. Please alert Laura Quilter (lquilter@cdc.gov), Myriam Bélanger (bjf0@cdc.gov), and Matthew Schmerer (nmk7@cdc.gov) that you have an isolate available from a DGI case. Pre-approval is required prior to submission of isolates to CDC.
2. If the antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) report is going to be part of the patient's medical record, then please submit the isolate for Etest AST to your state public health laboratory (contact to determine if available) or either the Maryland Department of Health Regional Lab or the Washington Department of Health Regional Lab.
3. For routine surveillance AST and whole genome sequencing, please submit the isolate to CDC using test order code 10623 (Neisseria gonorrhoeae Study) and include the sample submission form (50.34). Please include two identifiers for the isolate. Please do not include PII (patient name, DOB, etc.) on the 50.34 form or on the specimen tubes. Patient ID and Specimen ID are acceptable.
4. Please send the isolate to CDC frozen on dry ice in trypticase soy broth (TSB) with 20% glycerol.
5. The shipping address for our lab at CDC is: Consuelo Hopkins, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DCLSR/STATT, ATTN: Unit 31 CARB Study | 1600 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30333 | Office: 404-639-0594 Email: dsrstat@cdc.gov
6. Isolate shipments should NOT arrive at CDC on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, as well as the day before or on federal holidays. We also request that a tracking number be sent to GCLab@cdc.gov to expedite the delivery of the shipment to our laboratory for processing.

Note: Genome sequencing is not a currently validated test for clinical isolates, therefore this will only be performed on isolates submitted for surveillance. Minimal associated data (such as state, specimen type, date of collection, etc.) will be retained. The genome sequencing data will be used to look for various genetic markers and to understand genetic relationships with other isolates recovered from DGI cases.