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

1. Please alert Laura Quilter (lquilter@cdc.gov), Samera Sharpe (bpu7@cdc.gov), and Matthew Schmerer (nmk7@cdc.gov) that you have an isolate available from a DGI case.
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, please submit the isolate to CDC using test order code 10103 (Neisseria gonorrhoeae Study) and include the sample submission form (50.34). Please include two identifiers for the isolate and do not include PII, if possible, on the 50.34 form.
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:

6. Isolates should not be sent on Friday or the day before a federal holiday.  We also request that a tracking number be sent to Samera Sharpe (bpu7@cdc.gov) and Matthew Schmerer (nmk7@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.