Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38517444›Full record

ArticleThe Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy2024

Investigating the cause of increased tetracycline-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in England, 2016-20.

Rachel Pitt-Kendall, Suzy Sun, Stephen Hughes, Rachel Merrick, Hugo Donaldson, Michael Rayment, Zdravko Ivanov, Michaela Day, Aisha Bari, Monica Rebec and 5 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trends and risk factors of antimicrobial resistance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Catalonia, Spain, 2022-2023.European journal of clinical microbiology & infectious diseases : official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Rachel Pitt-KendallUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-3524-5935
Suzy SunUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Stephen HughesChelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0315-3603
Rachel MerrickUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Hugo DonaldsonChelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Michael RaymentChelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Zdravko IvanovUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Michaela DayUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-5089-2321
Aisha BariNorth West London Pathology, London, UK.
Monica RebecNorth West London Pathology, London, UK.
Emma CallanUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Hamish MohammedUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Katy SinkaUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
Michelle ColeUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6707-6910
Helen FiferUK Health Security Agency, London, UK.
UK Health Security Agency · GBChelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust · GBNorth West London Pathology · GB

Funding

UK Health Security Agency
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAntimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a global public health concern. Tetracycline resistance (TetR) increased from 39.4% to 75.2% between 2016 and 2021 in N. gonorrhoeae isolates collected through national surveillance in England, despite the absence of use of tetracyclines for the treatment of gonorrhoea.

objectivesWe investigated whether there was correlation between bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests performed and treatment with antimicrobials, with increased TetR in N. gonorrhoeae.

methodsWe examined correlations between bacterial STI tests, antimicrobial treatment and TetR in N. gonorrhoeae, using national surveillance data from three large sexual health services (SHS) in London during 2016-20. Doxycycline prescribing data and antibiograms of a non-STI pathogen from distinct patient groups (sexual health, obstetric and paediatric), at a large London hospital, were analysed to identify if doxycycline use in SHS was associated with resistance in a non-STI organism.

resultsA substantial increase in TetR was observed, particularly in isolates from gay, bisexual and other MSM (GBMSM). Strong positive correlations were observed exclusively in GBMSM between N. gonorrhoeae TetR and both bacterial STI tests (r = 0.97, P = 0.01) and antimicrobial treatment (r = 0.87, P = 0.05). Doxycycline prescribing increased dramatically during the study period in SHS. Prevalence of TetR in Staphylococcus aureus was higher in isolates sourced from SHS attendees than those from other settings.

conclusionsFrequent screening of GBMSM at higher risk of STIs, such as those on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) leading to/and increased use of doxycycline for the treatment of diagnosed infections, may account for the increase in TetR in N. gonorrhoeae.

Indexed as

Anti-Bacterial AgentsDoxycyclineGonorrheaMicrobial Sensitivity TestsNeisseria gonorrhoeaeTetracycline ResistanceAdultEnglandFemaleHumansLondonMaleTetracyclineAnti-Bacterial AgentsDoxycyclineTetracycline

Identifiers

PMID38517444
PMCPMC11062939
OpenAlexW4393067670

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.