Most but not all laboratories can detect the recently emerged Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA mutants - results from the QCMD 2013 N. gonorrhoeae external quality assessment programme

• We describe the results of the Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics 2013 Neisseria gonorrhoeae external quality assessment programme that included an N. gonorrhoeae strain harbouring an N. meningitidis porA gene which causes false-negative results in molecular diagnostic assays targeting the gonococcal porA pseudogene. Enhanced awareness of the international transmission of such gonococcal strains is needed to avoid false-negative results in both in-house and commercial molecular diagnostic assays used in laboratories worldwide, but particularly in Europe.In recent years, false-negative test results using PCRs targeting the Neisseria gonorrhoeae porA pseudogene have been reported from Australia, Scotland, Sweden and England [1-4]. Further investigations revealed that the gonococcal strains were not clonal, but all had replaced large segments or their entire N. gonorrhoeae porA pseudogene with an N. meningitidis porA gene.This report describes the results of the Quality Control for Molecular Diagnostics (QCMD) 2013 N. gonorrhoeae External Quality Assessment (EQA) programme. It included an N. gonorrhoeae strain containing an N. meningitidis porA gene which gives rise to false-negative results in molecular diagnostic assays targeting the gonococcal porA pseudogene. QCMD (www.qcmd.org) is an independent international organisation which provides a wide range of molecular EQA services in the field of infectious diseases to over 2,000 participants in over 100 countries.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Infektionsmedicin (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Infectious Medicine (hsv//eng)

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ref (subject category)

art (subject category)