Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea

'Basic Information' graphic stating, 'Little now stands between us and untreatable gonorrhea'.

'Laboratory Information' graphic showing how resistance is going up while new drugs are declining.

Gonorrhea has progressively developed resistance to the antibiotic drugs prescribed to treat it. Following the spread of gonococcal fluoroquinolone resistance, the cephalosporin antibiotics have been the foundation of recommended treatment for gonorrhea. The emergence of cephalosporin-resistant gonorrhea would significantly complicate the ability of providers to treat gonorrhea successfully, since we have few antibiotic options left that are simple, well-studied, well-tolerated and highly effective. It is critical to continuously monitor antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and encourage research and development of new treatment regimens.

Updates

Lessons Learned from CDC’s Strengthening US Response to Resistant Gonorrheaexternal icon – This special supplement of Sexually Transmitted Diseases shares findings and lessons learned from the SURRG project, adding to the published data on public health approaches to address antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea. (December 2021)

2021 STI Treatment Guidelines – Gonococcal Infections – Expands on treatment recommendations updated in December 2020. (July 22, 2021)

Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States 2019 and Drug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae pathogen pagepdf icon (November 13, 2019)

Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) Profiles 2019 – Provides site-specific data for CDC’s surveillance system that monitors U.S. antibiotic resistance trends for gonorrhea in select STD clinics. (July 2021)

AR Investment Map – This interactive tool shows CDC’s key investments to combat antibiotic resistance (AR), including drug-resistant gonorrhea, across the nation.

Gradient Strip Testing

Through CDC’s AR Lab Network, the Maryland Public Health Laboratory offers nationwide gradient strip method antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST)—at no cost—to assist in care of patients with potentially drug-resistant gonorrhea infections. Learn more on this fact sheet.pdf icon

Success Stories

Decoding DNA to Outsmart Gonorrhea: Modern Technology Takes on Centuries-Old Bug

Researchers in CDC’s Division of STD Prevention laboratory have developed a freely-accessible analysis tool to help all public health labs identify genes involved in drug-resistant gonorrhea.