Gonorrhoea on the rise in Denmark since 2022: distinct clones drive increase in heterosexual individuals.

A surge in gonorrhoea in Denmark has occurred since 2022, a 46% increase from 2021. National surveillance, leveraging mandatory reporting and epidemiological data, highlights three distinct clades linked to heterosexual transmission. Despite the rise, these exhibit high susceptibility, contrasting MSM-associated strains. Geographical hotspots and age-specific patterns further illuminate transmission dynamics. The combination of genomic and epidemiological data provides novel insights into the evolving landscape of gonorrhoea, indicating potential shifts in infection dynamics and transmissibility.

Mycoplasma phocimorsus sp. nov., isolated from Scandinavian patients with seal finger or septic arthritis after contact with seals.

Seal finger (sealer's finger, spekk finger), an extremely painful hand infection contracted by individuals handling seals, has previously been associated with Mycoplasma phocacerebrale. From 2000 to 2014, six independent strains of a novel Mycoplasma species were isolated at Statens Serum Institut, Denmark, from Scandinavian patients with seal finger (M5725T, M6447, M6620, M6642 and M6879) or septic arthritis (M6921). Prior to the onset of infection, all patients had reported contact with unspeciated seals. All isolates grew within 2-5 days in Friis' modified broth and metabolized glucose and arginine but not urea. Strains M5725T, M6447, M6642 and M6921 also grew in Hayflick-type media. Colonies on agar media were large (0.5-1.0 mm) and had a typical 'fried egg' appearance, reduced tetrazolium, and were digitonin sensitive. Growth occurred at 32 °C but not at 42 °C. Strains were susceptible to doxycycline and moxifloxacin but resistant to azithromycin and erythromycin. The genomes of the six strains were sequenced and relatedness to all known Mycoplasma species was inferred. Phylogenetic analyses using 16S rRNA gene sequences and core genome single nucleotide polymorphisms showed that the isolated strains were highly similar and phylogenetically distinct from all other species within the genus Mycoplasma. The sizes of the genome sequences of the strains ranged from 744 321 to 772409 bp, with a G+C content of 25.0-25.2 mol%. Based on these analyses, we propose a novel species of the genus Mycoplasma with the name Mycoplasma phocimorsus sp. nov. with the first isolate M5725T (NCTC 14922T=DSM 116188T) as the proposed type strain and representative strains M6447, M6620, M6642, M6879 and M6921.

The role of Chlamydiales in adverse pregnancy outcome: a community-based nested case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: Over the last decades, the Chlamydiales order has expanded and a new group of Chlamydia-related bacteria has emerged, covering species such as Waddlia chondrophila associated with bovine abortion. However, it is unknown whether they compromise human reproduction such as Chlamydia trachomatis. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between vaginal colonization of selected species of the Chlamydiales order with spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, and animal exposure. METHODS: Pregnant women were enrolled at the nuchal translucency scan or when admitted for suspected miscarriage at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Cases were defined as spontaneous abortion <22 weeks and preterm birth <37 weeks. Controls were defined as term birth ≥37 weeks. Vaginal samples from 1203 women were assessed using C. trachomatis, W. chondrophila, and pan-Chlamydiales-specific real-time PCRs targeting the 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS: A total of 1120 women of primarily Caucasian ancestry were enrolled, including 193 spontaneous abortions, 88 preterm births, and 839 term births. After sequencing for verification, the prevalence of Chlamydiales was 3 of 193 (1.6%; 95% CI, 0.5-4.8) in women experiencing spontaneous abortion, 2 of 88 (2.3%; 95% CI, 0.6-8.9) in women with preterm birth, and 20 of 839 (2.4%; 95% CI, 1.6-3.7) in women giving birth at term. Thus, Chlamydiales infection was neither significantly associated with spontaneous abortion (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.15-2.01) nor preterm birth (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.15-3.60) compared with women giving birth at term. Amplicons from the pan-Chlamydiales assay revealed close sequence homology and were primarily identified as uncultured Chlamydiales bacteria. DISCUSSION: Among Danish pregnant women, the prevalence of Chlamydiales was low and not associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes.