Using whole genome sequencing to investigate gonorrhoea
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A feasibility study to investigate the utility of whole genome sequencing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to investigate gonorrhoea transmission in Brighton
IRAS ID
150306
Contact name
John Paul
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
BSUH
Research summary
Whole genome sequencing (WGS)is a rapidly emerging technology that looks at the entire genetic blueprint of an organism. Neisseria gonorrhoeae ('the gonococcus')is a species of bacterium that causes a sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhoea. There is growing concern about increasing antibiotic resistant gonorrhoea. At the same time there are questions about how to target health education messages and public health strategies because of poor understanding of how the infection is passed between individuals. We aim to do whole genome sequencing of all gonococci that are cultured routinely from samples sent to the Brighton laboratory. WGS can be used to track the development of antibiotic resistance in high detail (at the level of resistance genes). At the same time the WGS can be used to understand the relatedness of gonococci grown from different patients and reveal if the infection has been passed on locally (e.g. in Brighton) as part of a local outbreak or has come from further afield (e.g. travel abroad). To be confident of what we think the WGS results are telling us we need to confirm our assumptions by collecting risk factor information from patients (e.g. do they think they caught the infection in Brighton or elsewhere).
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0435
Date of REC Opinion
30 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion