As of 2016, the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene in Vienna in the Public Health Business Area has taken on the tasks of a National Reference Centre forNeisseria gonorrhoeaetogether with Microbiology Tyrol (formerly Labor Möst/MB-LAB).

Our services:

• Cultivation of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
• Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae using molecular biological methods
• Outbreak clarification
• Participation in European ring trials
• Management of a reference strain collection
• Advice on questions of diagnostics, epidemiology, therapy, measures and prevention
• Reporting
• Monitoring the development of antibiotic resistance

The monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility and the collection of epidemiological data in cooperation with national and international partners is an essential part of the tasks of the reference centre, especially as the resistance situation can change relatively quickly, resulting in changes to treatment recommendations. The current resistance situation can be found in the annual National Resistance Report (AURES) and the annual report.

As part of our duties as a reference centre, we have also taken on the Austrian representation in the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP). As part of this project, gonococcal isolates including epidemiological data are collected annually from several European countries for supra-regional resistance testing.

As part of our reference activities, we ask microbiological laboratories and hospitals to send us gonococcal isolates as part of a sentinel system. These isolates are subjected to resistance testing in accordance with the guidelines of EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) and the isolates are whole genome sequenced in selected cases (resistant strains). The analysis is free of charge for the sender.

Gonococcal isolates can be sent to the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene Vienna of AGES as well as to the Laboratory Microbiology Tyrol. Fresh pure cultures are best suited for sending the strains. The transport should be carried out quickly and uncooled in a suitable transport medium (ideally an Amies transport medium containing activated charcoal). Please use the appropriate submission form with the reference to the medical-diagnostic examination material as well as the necessary patient data, clinical and epidemiological data. The submission forms can be found here in the download area (Consignment note National Reference Laboratories at IMED Vienna) or on the website of the Laboratory Microbiology Tyrol.