• Increasing Resistance to Azithromycin in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Eastern Chinese Cities: Resistance Mechanisms and Genetic Diversity among Isolates from Nanjing

      Wan, Chuan; Li, Yang; Le, Wen-Jing; Liu, Yu-Rong; Li, Sai; Wang, Bao-Xi; Rice, Peter A.; Su, Xiao-Hong (2018-04-26)
      Azithromycin resistance (AZM-R) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is emerging as a clinical and public health challenge. We determined molecular characteristics of recent AZM-R Nanjing gonococcal isolates and tracked the emergence of AZM-R isolates in eastern Chinese cities in recent years. A total of 384 N. gonorrhoeae isolates from Nanjing collected from 2013 to 2014 were tested for susceptibility to AZM and six additional antibiotics; all AZM-R strains were characterized genetically for resistance determinants by sequencing and were genotyped using N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). Among the 384 isolates, 124 (32.3%) were AZM-R. High-level resistance (MIC, > /=256 mg/liter) was present in 10.4% (40/384) of isolates, all of which possessed the A2143G mutation in all four 23S rRNA alleles. Low- to mid-level resistance (MIC, 1 to 64 mg/liter) was present in 21.9% (84/384) of isolates, 59.5% of which possessed the C2599T mutation in all four 23S rRNA alleles. The 124 AZM-R isolates were distributed in 71 different NG-MAST sequence types (STs). ST1866 was the most prevalent type in high-level AZM-R (HL-AZM-R) isolates (45% [18/40]). This study, together with previous reports, revealed that the prevalence of AZM-R in N. gonorrhoeae isolates in certain eastern Chinese cities has risen > 4-fold (7% to 32%) from 2008 to 2014. The principal mechanisms of AZM resistance in recent Nanjing isolates were A2143G mutations (high-level resistance) and C2599T mutations (low- to mid-level resistance) in the 23S rRNA alleles. Characterization of NG-MAST STs and phylogenetic analysis indicated the genetic diversity of N. gonorrhoeae in Nanjing; however, ST1866 was the dominant genotype associated with HL-AZM-R isolates.
    • Should Clinicians Use Chloroquine or Hydroxychloroquine Alone or in Combination With Azithromycin for the Prophylaxis or Treatment of COVID-19

      Qaseem, Amir; Yost, Jennifer; Etxeandia-Ikobaltzeta, Itziar; Miller, Matthew C.; Abraham, George M.; Obley, Adam Jacob; Forciea, Mary Ann; Jokela, Janet A.; Humphrey, Linda L. (2020-05-13)
      Using chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine, with or without azithromycin, to prevent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after infection with novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) or to treat COVID-19 began to receive attention following preliminary reports from in vitro and human studies. While multiple studies are planned or under way, it is imperative to continually synthesize the results from the best available evidence to inform point-of-care decisions about the use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. These practice points are based on a rapid and living systematic evidence review conducted by the University of Connecticut Health Outcomes, Policy, and Evidence Synthesis Group and will be updated as new evidence becomes available. The practice points development and update methods are included in the Appendix. This version of the practice points, based on an evidence review conducted on 17 April 2020, was approved by the American College of Physicians Board of Regents on 4 May 2020 and submitted to Annals of Internal Medicine on 6 May 2020.