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Project
Preventing Resistance in Gonorrhoea Study (PReGo)
Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), the causative agent of gonorrhoea, has developed resistance to
every antibiotic used against it and could become untreatable. It is also unknown why this
resistance almost invariably first occurs in core-groups. This project aims to simultaneously
better understand why resistance usually emerges in core-groups and develop new modalities
to prevent the emergence of resistance. Antibiotics drive resistance and thus we will start by
developing two alternatives to antibiotics to treat and prevent NG infection – bacteriophages
and chlorhexidine mouthwash. For the first time, bacteriophages that are active against both
circulating NG and extensively resistant NG will be developed. We will assess if chlorhexidine
mouthwash can be used to treat and prevent pharyngeal NG and other sexually transmitted
diseases. In addition, we will evaluate if an alternative antibiotic combination to that currently
used may be less likely to stimulate resistance in NG. We will then use the data we collect
from these studies to model the probability of emergence of resistance in various scenarios
with the ultimate objective of using the findings to minimize the probability of this resistance
emerging.
every antibiotic used against it and could become untreatable. It is also unknown why this
resistance almost invariably first occurs in core-groups. This project aims to simultaneously
better understand why resistance usually emerges in core-groups and develop new modalities
to prevent the emergence of resistance. Antibiotics drive resistance and thus we will start by
developing two alternatives to antibiotics to treat and prevent NG infection – bacteriophages
and chlorhexidine mouthwash. For the first time, bacteriophages that are active against both
circulating NG and extensively resistant NG will be developed. We will assess if chlorhexidine
mouthwash can be used to treat and prevent pharyngeal NG and other sexually transmitted
diseases. In addition, we will evaluate if an alternative antibiotic combination to that currently
used may be less likely to stimulate resistance in NG. We will then use the data we collect
from these studies to model the probability of emergence of resistance in various scenarios
with the ultimate objective of using the findings to minimize the probability of this resistance
emerging.
Date:1 Oct 2018 → Today
Project type:Collaboration project