:: Members :: Publications :: Proceedings 2007 :: 
             

Eva Tzelepi, PhD in Biology, Researcher A’. Head of the Bacteriology Laboratory.
Τel: 210-6478811, Email: tzelepi@mail.pasteur.gr




DESCRIPTION – GOALS

The National Reference Center for N. gonorrhoeae (NRCNG) at the Laboratory of Bacteriology of the H.P.I. was officially established in 1987 upon authorization by the Greek Ministry of Health (Α1/5755/15-6-1987). Research on N. gonorrhoeae has actually been an ongoing project in this laboratory since 1981. The NRCNG aims to achieve continuous surveillance of the epidemiological and antibiotic resistance trends of gonococcal infection in Greece.



SAME SUPPLY: 135 isolates annually (average for the yars 2002-2006).



ACTIVITIES
 
The NRCNG:

• Conducts a regular data collection of gonorrhea cases recorded in venereal hospitals or other medical care units throughout Greece.

• Receives gonococcal isolates, performs detailed typing and determines antibiotic resistance patterns. Strain collection of the NRCNG enumerates today more than 2700 well characterized gonococci.

• Analyzes the underlying mechanisms and the spread of resistance in order to account for new forms of resistance or in the case of wide dissemination of particular types of resistant strains.

• Educates scientists and technologists and supervises PhD students on research projects relative to gonorrhea epidemiology and gonococcal resistance to antibiotics.

• Evaluates data and reports to the Greek Ministry of Health, while keeping up to date the Greek and international scientific community about new information ensued from this evaluation. The main findings of the annual reports of the NRCNG are also presented in on the website of H.P.I. NRCNG Proceedings-2006.

Presentations – Lectures of the NRCNG in Scientific Meetings (2007/8)

1. Tzelepi E. Gonorrhea and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The disease and the pathogen. Teaching lecture in the Greek National School of Public Health. Athens, January 2007, and March 2007.

2. Stathi M, Avgerinou H, Miriagou V, Flemetakis A, Daniilidou M, Kyriakis K, Tzelepi E. Antimicrobial susceptibility of gonococci isolated in Greece in 2005: Dramatic increase in quinolone resistance rate due to a single serovar. 17^th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases – 25^th International Congress of Chemotherapy (17^th ECCMID-25^th ICC). Munich, Germany, April 2007.

3. Tzelepi E, Avgerinou H, Daniilidou M, Miriagou V, Flemetakis A, Siatravani E. Antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Greece – Year 2007. Emergence and clonal spread of multidrug resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae with reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime. 34^th Annual Panhellenic Medical Congress, Athens, May 2008.