Development of New Antimicrobials for Urogenital Gonorrhea Therapy: Clinical Trial Design Considerations.

Gonorrhea remains a major public health challenge, and current recommendations for gonorrhea treatment are threatened by evolving antimicrobial resistance and a diminished pipeline for new antibiotics. Evaluations of potential new treatments for gonorrhea currently make limited use of new understanding of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic contributors to effective therapy, the prevention of antimicrobial resistance, and newer designs for clinical trials. They are hampered by the requirement to utilize combination ceftriaxone/azithromycin therapy as the comparator regimen in noninferiority trials designed to seek an indication for gonorrhea therapy. Evolving gonococcal epidemiology and clinical trial design constraints hinder the enrollment of those populations at the greatest risk for gonorrhea (adolescents, women, and persons infected with antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae). This article summarizes a recent meeting on the evaluation process for antimicrobials for urogenital gonorrhea treatment and encourages the consideration of new designs for the evaluation of gonorrhea therapy.

Simultaneous Evaluation of Diagnostic Assays for Pharyngeal and Rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis Using a Master Protocol.

BACKGROUND: Pharyngeal and rectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis play important roles in infection and antibacterial resistance transmission, but no US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared assays for detection at these sites existed prior to this study. The objective was to estimate performance of assays to detect those infections in pharyngeal and rectal specimens to support regulatory submission. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional, single-visit study of adults seeking sexually transmitted infection testing at 9 clinics in 7 states. We collected pharyngeal and rectal swabs from participants. The primary outcome was positive and negative percent agreement for detection of N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis for 3 investigational assays compared to a composite reference. Secondary outcomes included positivity as well as positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios. Subgroup analyses included outcomes by symptom status and sex. RESULTS: A total of 2598 participants (79% male) underwent testing. We observed N. gonorrhoeae positivity of 8.1% in the pharynx and 7.9% in the rectum and C. trachomatis positivity of 2.0% in the pharynx and 8.7% in the rectum. Positive percent agreement ranged from 84.8% to 96.5% for different anatomic site infection combinations, whereas negative percent agreement was 98.8% to 99.6%. CONCLUSIONS: This study utilized a Master Protocol to generate diagnostic performance data for multiple assays from different manufacturers in a single study population, which ultimately supported first-in-class FDA clearance for extragenital assays. We observed very good positive percent agreement when compared to a composite reference method for the detection of both pharyngeal and rectal N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02870101.

Tenofovir Gel for Prevention of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Acquisition: Findings From the VOICE Trial.

BACKGROUND: Genital infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is common and increases risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and acquisition. Pericoital use of tenofovir (TFV) gel provided protection from HSV-2 acquisition in the CAPRISA 004 study. METHODS: We measured estimate of effect of vaginal TFV 1% gel in preventing HSV-2 acquisition among women in VOICE, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial assessing daily use of oral and vaginal TFV for HIV-1 preexposure prophylaxis. The TFV level in plasma at the first quarterly visit was used as a measure of gel use. RESULTS: Of 566 participants at risk for HSV-2 acquisition, 532 (94%) had first-quarter plasma TFV and end-of-study HSV-2 serologic data available. Over a follow-up period of 501 person-years, 92 incident cases of HSV-2 acquisition occurred: 77 were in women with no TFV detected in plasma, and 15 occurred in women with TFV detected in plasma (incidence, 20.6 cases/100 person-years [95% confidence interval [CI], 16.2-25.7] vs 11.9 cases/100 person-years [95% CI, 6.6-19.6], respectively). TFV detection in plasma was associated with a trend toward a reduced risk of HSV-2 seroconversion, with an unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 0.59 (95% CI, .34-1.02; P = .060) and a HR adjusted for site, age, having ≥2 male sex partners in the past 3 months, use of hormonal contraception, having anal sex in the past 3 months, and HIV status of 0.60 (95% CI, .33-1.08; P = .086). CONCLUSIONS: Detection of TFV in plasma among TFV gel users was associated with a trend toward a reduced risk of HSV-2 acquisition, after controlling for sexual behavior and HIV-1 acquisition.

Advancing vaccine development for gonorrhoea and the Global STI Vaccine Roadmap.

Efforts to develop vaccines against Neisseria gonorrhoeae have become increasingly important, given the rising threat of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Recent data suggest vaccines for gonorrhoea are biologically feasible; in particular, epidemiological evidence shows that vaccines against a closely related pathogen, serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis outer membrane vesicle (OMV) vaccines, may reduce gonorrhoea incidence. Vaccine candidates using several approaches are currently in preclinical development, including meningococcal and gonococcal OMV vaccines, a lipooligosaccharide epitope and purified protein subunit vaccines. The Global STI Vaccine Roadmap provides action steps to build on this technical momentum and advance gonococcal vaccine development. Better quantifying the magnitude of gonorrhoea-associated disease burden, for outcomes like infertility, and modelling the predicted role of gonococcal vaccines in addressing AMR will be essential for building a full public health value proposition, which can justify investment and help with decision making about future vaccine policy and programs. Efforts are underway to gain consensus on gonorrhoea vaccine target populations, implementation strategies and other preferred product characteristics that would make these vaccines suitable for use in low- and middle-income, as well as high-income, contexts. Addressing these epidemiological, programmatic and policy considerations in parallel to advancing research and development, including direct assessment of the ability of meningococcal B OMV vaccines to prevent gonorrhoea, can help bring about the development of viable gonococcal vaccines.

Sexual transmission of Zika virus and other flaviviruses: A living systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Health authorities in the United States and Europe reported an increasing number of travel-associated episodes of sexual transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) following the 2015-2017 ZIKV outbreak. This, and other scientific evidence, suggests that ZIKV is sexually transmissible in addition to having its primary mosquito-borne route. The objective of this systematic review and evidence synthesis was to clarify the epidemiology of sexually transmitted ZIKV. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We performed a living (i.e., continually updated) systematic review of evidence published up to 15 April 2018 about sexual transmission of ZIKV and other arthropod-borne flaviviruses in humans and other animals. We defined 7 key elements of ZIKV sexual transmission for which we extracted data: (1) rectal and vaginal susceptibility to infection, (2) incubation period following sexual transmission, (3) serial interval between the onset of symptoms in a primary and secondary infected individuals, (4) duration of infectiousness, (5) reproduction number, (6) probability of transmission per sex act, and (7) transmission rate. We identified 1,227 unique publications and included 128, of which 77 presented data on humans and 51 presented data on animals. Laboratory experiments confirm that rectal and vaginal mucosae are susceptible to infection with ZIKV and that the testis serves as a reservoir for the virus in animal models. Sexual transmission was reported in 36 human couples: 34/36 of these involved male-to-female sexual transmission. The median serial symptom onset interval in 15 couples was 12 days (interquartile range: 10-14.5); the maximum was 44 days. We found evidence from 2 prospective cohorts that ZIKV RNA is present in human semen with a median duration of 34 days (95% CI: 28-41 days) and 35 days (no CI given) (low certainty of evidence, according to GRADE). Aggregated data about detection of ZIKV RNA from 37 case reports and case series indicate a median duration of detection of ZIKV of 40 days (95% CI: 30-49 days) and maximum duration of 370 days in semen. In human vaginal fluid, median duration was 14 days (95% CI: 7-20 days) and maximum duration was 37 days (very low certainty). Infectious virus in human semen was detected for a median duration of 12 days (95% CI: 1-21 days) and maximum of 69 days. Modelling studies indicate that the reproduction number is below 1 (very low certainty). Evidence was lacking to estimate the incubation period or the transmission rate. Evidence on sexual transmission of other flaviviruses was scarce. The certainty of the evidence is limited because of uncontrolled residual bias. CONCLUSIONS: The living systematic review and sexual transmission framework allowed us to assess evidence about the risk of sexual transmission of ZIKV. ZIKV is more likely transmitted from men to women than from women to men. For other flaviviruses, evidence of sexual transmissibility is still absent. Taking into account all available data about the duration of detection of ZIKV in culture and from the serial interval, our findings suggest that the infectious period for sexual transmission of ZIKV is shorter than estimates from the earliest post-outbreak studies, which were based on reverse transcription PCR alone.

Multidrug-resistant gonorrhea: A research and development roadmap to discover new medicines.

Emilie Alirol and colleagues discuss the development of new treatments for gonorrhea.

Advancing point of care diagnostics for the control and prevention of STIs: the way forward.

WHO recognises the global impact of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) on global public health and individual sexual and reproductive health and well-being. As a component of the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy for the control and prevention of STIs, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of integrating point-of-care tests (POCTs) into overall strategic planning. The process of integrating STI POCTs, in addition to providing a definitive diagnosis and appropriate treatment in a single visit, also includes innovative delivery options, such as on-site delivery, community-based testing (including screening), as well as self-testing at home after purchase of a test online or over-the-counter. WHO organised two technical consultations in May 2014 and July 2015. This article summarises the discussions of the meeting participants on advancing the use of POCTs to control and prevent STIs. The following priorities were identified: the need for pathogens' target discovery; encouragement of multiplexing, miniaturisation, simplification and connectivity; promotion of standardisation of evaluation of new diagnostic platforms across all stages of the evaluation pipeline; the need for an investment case, modelling and scenarios to ensure buy-in among key stakeholders, including developers and the private sector; the need for norms and standards, including guidelines, to support introduction of STI POCTs in programmes; anticipating potential tensions between different parties at the implementation level; and leveraging on the global initiative, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)/global health sector STI strategy, to sustain investment in STI POCT programmes. There is a rich pipeline of diagnostic products, but some have stalled in development. An approach to accelerate the evaluation of new diagnostics is to set up a competent network of evaluation sites ahead of time, harmonise regulatory approval processes with development of models to estimate cost-effectiveness, informed by better STI data. This should result in accelerating policy development. Although it may be some time before good POCTs can be widely implemented in low resource settings, it is important to be a catalyst for continued development and use of these essential tools as an integral part of both the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy and the agenda for 2030.

Efficacy results of a trial of a herpes simplex vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Two previous studies of a herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) subunit vaccine containing glycoprotein D in HSV-discordant couples revealed 73% and 74% efficacy against genital disease in women who were negative for both HSV type 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 antibodies. Efficacy was not observed in men or HSV-1 seropositive women. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind efficacy field trial involving 8323 women 18 to 30 years of age who were negative for antibodies to HSV-1 and HSV-2. At months 0, 1, and 6, some subjects received the investigational vaccine, consisting of 20 µg of glycoprotein D from HSV-2 with alum and 3-O-deacylated monophosphoryl lipid A as an adjuvant; control subjects received the hepatitis A vaccine, at a dose of 720 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) units. The primary end point was occurrence of genital herpes disease due to either HSV-1 or HSV-2 from month 2 (1 month after dose 2) through month 20. RESULTS: The HSV vaccine was associated with an increased risk of local reactions as compared with the control vaccine, and it elicited ELISA and neutralizing antibodies to HSV-2. Overall, the vaccine was not efficacious; vaccine efficacy was 20% (95% confidence interval [CI], -29 to 50) against genital herpes disease. However, efficacy against HSV-1 genital disease was 58% (95% CI, 12 to 80). Vaccine efficacy against HSV-1 infection (with or without disease) was 35% (95% CI, 13 to 52), but efficacy against HSV-2 infection was not observed (-8%; 95% CI, -59 to 26). CONCLUSIONS: In a study population that was representative of the general population of HSV-1- and HSV-2-seronegative women, the investigational vaccine was effective in preventing HSV-1 genital disease and infection but not in preventing HSV-2 disease or infection. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and GlaxoSmithKline; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00057330.).

Correlate of immune protection against HSV-1 genital disease in vaccinated women.

BACKGROUND: Previously we conducted a double-blind controlled, randomized efficacy field trial of gD-2 HSV vaccine adjuvanted with ASO4 in 8323 women. Subjects had been previously selected to be seronegative for HSV-1 and HSV-2. We found that vaccine was 82% protective against HSV-1 genital disease, but offered no significant protection against HSV-2 genital disease. METHODS: To better understand the results of the efficacy study, post-vaccination anti-gD-2 antibody concentrations from all HSV infected subjects and matched uninfected controls were measured. Three models were used to determine whether thes responses correlated with protection against HSV infection or disease. Similarly, cellular immune responses from a subset of subjects and matched controls were evaluated for a correlation with HSV protection. RESULTS: Antibodies to gD-2 correlated with protection against HSV-1 infection with higher antibody concentration associated with higher efficacy. Cellular immune responses to gD-2 did not correlate with protection. CONCLUSIONS: The protection against HSV-1 infection observed in the Herpevac Trial for Women was associated with antibodies directed against the vaccine. Clinical Trials Registration NCT00057330.

Summary of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes: 3-4 November 2022.

Genital herpes is caused by infection with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) and currently has no cure. The disease is the second-most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with an estimated 18.6 million prevalent genital infections caused by HSV-2 alone. Genital herpes diagnostics and treatments are not optimal, and no vaccine is currently available. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases convened a workshop entitled "CDC/NIAID Joint Workshop on Genital Herpes." This report summarizes 8 sessions on the epidemiology of genital herpes, neonatal HSV, HSV diagnostics, vaccines, treatments, cures, prevention, and patient advocacy perspective intended to identify opportunities in herpes research and foster the development of strategies to diagnose, treat, cure, and prevent genital herpes.

The 2022 Vaccines Against Shigella and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VASE) Conference: Summary of abstract-based presentations.

The global nonprofit organization PATH hosted the third Vaccines Against Shigella and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VASE) Conference in Washington, DC, on November 29 to December 1, 2022. With a combination of plenary sessions and posters, keynote presentations, and breakout workshops, the 2022 VASE Conference featured key updates on research related to the development of vaccines against neglected diarrheal pathogens including Shigella, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Campylobacter, and Salmonella. The presentations and discussions highlighted the significant impact of these diarrheal pathogens, particularly on the health of infants and young children in low- and middle-income countries, reflecting the urgent need for the development and licensure of new enteric vaccines. Oral and poster presentations at the VASE Conference explored a range of topics, including: the global burden and clinical presentation of disease, epidemiology, and the impact of interventions; the assessment of the value of vaccines against enteric pathogens; preclinical evaluations of vaccine candidates and models of enteric diseases; vaccine candidates in clinical trials and human challenge models; host parameters and genomics that predict responses to infection and disease; the application of new omics technologies for characterization of emerging pathogens and host responses; novel adjuvants, vaccine delivery platforms, and immunization strategies; and strategies for combination/co-administered vaccines. The conference agenda also featured ten breakout workshop sessions on topics of importance to the enteric vaccine field, which are summarized separately. This article reviews key points and highlighted research presented in each of the plenary conference sessions and poster presentations at the 2022 VASE Conference.

Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and antibody response to primary infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in young women.

BACKGROUND: Herpes simplex virus infections type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2) are common, but the epidemiology of HSV disease is changing. METHODS: HSV-seronegative women, aged 18-30 years, who were in the control arm of the HERPEVAC Trial for Women were followed for 20 months for primary HSV infections. RESULTS: Of the 3438 evaluable participants, 183 became infected with HSV: 127 (3.7%) with HSV-1 and 56 (1.6%) with HSV-2. The rate of infection for HSV-1 (2.5 per 100 person-years) was more than twice that for HSV-2 (1.1 per 100 person-years). Most infections (74% of HSV-1 and 63% of HSV-2) occurred without recognized signs or symptoms of herpes disease. The HSV-2 infection rate was 2.6 times higher in non-Hispanic black participants than in Hispanics and 5.5 times higher than in non-Hispanic whites (P < .001), while the HSV-1 infection rate was 1.7 times higher in non-Hispanic whites than non-Hispanic blacks. Younger participants (18-22 years) were more likely to acquire HSV-1 infections and less likely to develop recognized disease than older participants. Overall, 84% of recognized disease cases were genital. No differences were noted in the clinical manifestations of genital HSV-1 vs genital HSV-2 disease. The clinicians' assessment that cases were caused by HSV was good when they assessed cases as clinically confirmed or unlikely (validated in 83% and 100% of cases, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: HSV-1 is now more common than HSV-2 as a cause of oral and genital mucosal infections in young women, but there are important age and race differences.

Vaccine research for gonococcal infections: where are we?

Gonorrhoea continues to seriously impact human society with an estimated 106 million new infections occurring annually. The consequence of gonorrhoea on reproductive and neonatal health is especially concerning as is its role in the spread of HIV. Current control measures rely on the identification and treatment of infected individuals and their sexual contacts. The success of this strategy, which is already inadequate, is lessened by poor diagnostic capabilities in many parts of the world and challenged by the rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. The potential of untreatable gonorrhoea is now real, and a gonorrhoea vaccine is seriously needed. Historically, gonorrhoea vaccine research has been hampered by the antigenic variability of the gonococcal surface, a lack of known protective mechanisms, and the absence of a small laboratory animal model for testing candidate vaccines and manipulating host responses. Here we discuss recent advances that have rekindled research efforts towards a gonorrhoea vaccine. Several conserved and semiconserved vaccine antigens have been identified that elicit bactericidal antibodies or inhibit target function. A mouse genital tract infection model is available for systematic testing of vaccines, and transgenic mice have been developed to relieve host restrictions. Additionally, several immunological advances have been made including the identification of mechanisms by which Neisseria gonorrhoeae suppresses the adaptive response and the demonstration that Th1 responses clear experimental infection in mice and induce a protective memory response. We also discuss important issues with respect to product development that must be considered when entering the vaccine pipeline.

Current and future treatment options for gonorrhoea.

The delivery of effective antimicrobial therapy is essential for public health control of gonorrhoea, in the absence of a suitable vaccine. The antimicrobial agent chosen should have high efficacy and quality, lack toxicity and give >95% success when given empirically. Guidelines, which are informed by surveillance data, are used to aid clinicians in their choice of appropriate agent. Historically, gonorrhoea treatment has been delivered as a single, directly observed dose but this has resulted in failure of successive antimicrobial agents which have been replaced by a new antimicrobial to which resistance has been rare or non-existing. Following the drift towards decreased susceptibility and treatment failure to the extended spectrum cephalosporins, and the lack of 'new' alternative antimicrobials, the threat of difficult to treat or untreatable gonorrhoea has emerged. The challenge of maintaining gonorrhoea as a treatable infection has resulted in national, regional and global response or action plans. This review discusses different approaches to the future treatment of gonorrhoea including; use of ceftriaxone, the injectable cephalosporin at increased dosage; dual antimicrobial therapy; use of drugs developed for other infections and use of older agents, directed by rapid point of care tests, to susceptible infections. Finally, it is considered whether the time is right to readdress the possibility of developing an effective gonococcal vaccine, given the major advances in our understanding of natural infection, molecular pathogenesis and the revolution in molecular biology techniques.

Meeting Summary: Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum, 2021.

The 2021 Global Vaccine and Immunization Research Forum highlighted the considerable advances and recent progress in research and development for vaccines and immunization, critically reviewed lessons learned from COVID-19 vaccine programs, and looked ahead to opportunities for this decade. For COVID-19, decades of investments in basic and translational research, new technology platforms, and vaccines targeting prototype pathogens enabled a rapid, global response. Unprecedented global coordination and partnership have played an essential role in creating and delivering COVID-19 vaccines. More improvement is needed in product attributes such as deliverability, and in equitable access to vaccines. Developments in other priority areas included: the halting of two human immunodeficiency virus vaccine trials due to lack of efficacy in preventing infection; promising efficacy results in Phase 2 trials of two tuberculosis vaccines; pilot implementation of the most advanced malaria vaccine candidate in three countries; trials of human papillomavirus vaccines given in single-dose regimens; and emergency use listing of a novel, oral poliomyelitis type 2 vaccine. More systematic, proactive approaches are being developed for fostering vaccine uptake and demand, aligning on priorities for investment by the public and private sectors, and accelerating policy making. Participants emphasized that addressing endemic disease is intertwined with emergency preparedness and pandemic response, so that advances in one area create opportunities in the other. In this decade, advances made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic should accelerate availability of vaccines for other diseases, contribute to preparedness for future pandemics, and help to achieve impact and equity under Immunization Agenda 2030.

The NIH Human Microbiome Project.

The Human Microbiome Project (HMP), funded as an initiative of the NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov), is a multi-component community resource. The goals of the HMP are: (1) to take advantage of new, high-throughput technologies to characterize the human microbiome more fully by studying samples from multiple body sites from each of at least 250 "normal" volunteers; (2) to determine whether there are associations between changes in the microbiome and health/disease by studying several different medical conditions; and (3) to provide both a standardized data resource and new technological approaches to enable such studies to be undertaken broadly in the scientific community. The ethical, legal, and social implications of such research are being systematically studied as well. The ultimate objective of the HMP is to demonstrate that there are opportunities to improve human health through monitoring or manipulation of the human microbiome. The history and implementation of this new program are described here.

Pivotal Shigella Vaccine Efficacy Trials-Study Design Considerations from a Shigella Vaccine Trial Design Working Group.

Vaccine candidates for Shigella are approaching phase 3 clinical trials in the target population of young children living in low- and middle-income countries. Key study design decisions will need to be made to maximize the success of such trials and minimize the time to licensure and implementation. We convened an ad hoc working group to identify the key aspects of trial design that would meet the regulatory requirements to achieve the desired indication of prevention of moderate or severe shigellosis due to strains included in the vaccine. The proposed primary endpoint of pivotal Shigella vaccine trials is the efficacy of the vaccine against the first episode of acute moderate or severe diarrhea caused by the Shigella strains contained within the vaccine. Moderate or severe shigellosis could be defined by a modified Vesikari score with dysentery and molecular detection of vaccine-preventable Shigella strains. This report summarizes the rationale and current data behind these considerations, which will evolve as new data become available and after further review and consultation by global regulators and policymakers.

Bacterial vaginosis: identifying research gaps proceedings of a workshop sponsored by DHHS/NIH/NIAID.

The microbiota of the human vagina can affect the health of women, their fetuses, and newborns. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most prevalent form of vaginal infection in women of reproductive age, affecting 8% to 23%, and is the most common etiology of vaginal symptoms prompting women to seek medical care. While traditional cultivation has identified numerous BV-associated bacteria involved in these processes, recent advances in molecular biology have facilitated the detection and identification of bacteria without cultivation, some of which have not previously been described or well characterized. A more complete understanding of vaginal microbial populations resulting from the adoption of molecular tools may lead to better strategies to maintain healthy vaginal microbial communities-thus enhancing women's health-and will create opportunities to explore the role of novel bacteria in reproductive tract diseases. On November 19-20, 2008, the NIH convened a workshop of experts in the field of research and clinical practice related to BV in order to discuss how these new advances should be interpreted and applied to research in progress and collaborations between relevant disciplines. This paper summarizes the presentations of this workshop and outlines general recommendations arising from the related discussions. Future studies of BV and its associated adverse outcomes should determine if specific combinations of organisms are more pathogenic than others, and causally associated with different adverse events. Moreover, determination of causality will depend not only on more precise categorization of the vaginal microbiota, but also on variations in the host environment that may be associated with changes in bacterial communities over time. In this report, we offer suggestions and recommendations that we hope will facilitate conduct of consistent approaches to collaborative efforts towards advancing our understanding of the vaginal microbiota and its impact on human health.

Gonococcal vaccines: Public health value and preferred product characteristics; report of a WHO global stakeholder consultation, January 2019.

Renewed interest in developing vaccines against Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been sparked by the increasing threat of gonococcal antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and growing optimism that gonococcal vaccines are biologically feasible. Evidence suggests serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis vaccines might provide some cross-protection against N. gonorrhoeae, and new gonococcal vaccine candidates based on several approaches are currently in preclinical development. To further stimulate investment and accelerate development of gonococcal vaccines, greater understanding is needed regarding the overall value that gonococcal vaccines might have in addressing public health and societal goals in low-, middle-, and high-income country contexts and how future gonococcal vaccines might be accepted and used, if available. In January 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a multidisciplinary international group of experts to lay the groundwork for understanding the potential health, economic, and societal value of gonococcal vaccines and their likely acceptance and use, and for developing gonococcal vaccine preferred product characteristics (PPCs). WHO PPCs describe preferences for vaccine attributes that would help optimize vaccine value and use in meeting the global public health need. This paper describes the main discussion points and conclusions from the January 2019 meeting of experts. Participants emphasized the need for vaccines to control N. gonorrhoeae infections with the ultimate goals of preventing adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes (e.g., infertility) and reducing the impact of gonococcal AMR. Meeting participants also discussed important PPC considerations (e.g., vaccine indications, target populations, and potential immunization strategies) and highlighted crucial research and data needs for guiding the value assessment and PPCs for gonococcal vaccines and advancing gonococcal vaccine development.

Analytical Evaluation of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG Assay for Detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Rectal and Pharyngeal Swabs.

Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in the rectum and pharynx are important extragenital reservoirs of infection. Few assays approved by the US Food and Drug Administration are commercially available to diagnose pharyngeal or rectal infections. The current study reports on the analytical performance of the Abbott RealTime CT/NG assay, including the limit of detection, inclusivity, and analytical specificity for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae in rectal and pharyngeal specimens. The limit of detection was performed using known concentrations of organisms, elementary bodies per milliliter (EB/mL) for C. trachomatis and colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) for N. gonorrhoeae, in clinical rectal and pharyngeal swab matrices. Inclusivity was performed against 12 serovars of C. trachomatis and seven strains of N. gonorrhoeae. The analytical specificity was performed using 28 different bacteria and viruses. The limit of detection for C. trachomatis was 2.56 EB/mL in pharyngeal specimens and 12.8 EB/mL in rectal specimens. The limit of detection for N. gonorrhoeae was 0.0256 CFU/mL for both pharyngeal and rectal specimens. The inclusivity and analytical specificity were 100% for both rectal and pharyngeal specimens. These analytical performance data demonstrate that the Abbott CT/NG RealTime assay is an accurate, sensitive, and specific assay in rectal and pharyngeal specimens, supporting the potential of the assay for detection of rectal and pharyngeal C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections.