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In an ongoing effort to document and/or validate taxonomic identifications and monitor fishes in the subarctic Atlantic Oceans, including the production of pragmatic identification material, two new distributional records of ceratioid anglerfishes are presented: Leptacanthichthys gracilispinis (Regan, 1925) and Microlophichthys microlophus (Regan, 1925) of the dreamer family Oneirodidae. The former belongs to the relatively rarely observed "long-pectoraled" subgroup whereas the latter is a relatively common species distributed circumglobally in temperate and tropical waters. Both species were recorded for the first time off Greenland and the specimens could be expatriates although the diversity of deep-sea pelagic fishes in the subarctic Atlantic Ocean is not well known. In addition, molecular barcoding Cox1 DNA sequences of subarctic Atlantic lophiiform taxa are included, where the material was available, many being produced as part of the Greenland fishes barcoding program, a continuous effort to register and barcode all Greenland fish species. The program has currently barcoded 220 taxa of approximately 300 known fish species observed in Greenland waters, with the ceratioid anglerfishes constituting one of the most problematic fish groups in the region in terms of sampling, identification, and taxonomic assignments using integrative taxonomy. Taxonomic issues based on molecular OTUs** are reported for the genera Caulophryne, Cryptopsaras, and Dolopichthys based on Cox1 data. Finally, a relatively large copepod parasite in the family Pennellidae was found on L. gracilispinis and constitutes one of only two copepod parasites recorded on ceratioid anglerfishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sixty-one gonococcal strains isolated in Greenland during 1998-1999 were tested locally for susceptibility to penicillin and ciprofloxacin by a disc diffusion method (Rosco®) and at the reference laboratory in Copenhagen by the agar dilution method and the E-test®, showed that more than 60% of the strains were less susceptible or resistant to penicillin (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥ 0.25 mg/L), indicating that penicillin should not be used as a first line drug for the treatment of gonorrhoea in Greenland. The Rosco® disc diffusion method only identified 8% of strains as less susceptible to penicillin. Ciprofloxacin can still be used as a first line drug for treatment of gonorrhoea in Greenland since decreased susceptibility was only seen in one imported strain. However, the decreased susceptibility in this strain was not identified by the Rosco® disc diffusion test, therefore the future local surveillance of antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae will be based on MIC determinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) has made gonorrhoea control and treatment more complex globally. In Greenland, the incidence of gonorrhoea is high and there is a need for continued surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility.This study investigated gonococcal isolates obtained in Greenland's capital Nuuk between January 2015 and June 2018. Subsequent to collection, isolates were tested for ciprofloxacin and ceftriaxone susceptibility in order to monitor the resistance pattern among GC strains. 150 GC strains were isolated in Nuuk during the observation period (139 males, 93%; 11 females, 7%). All strains were fully susceptible to ceftriaxone. 49% of the GC strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin. The median minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for ceftriaxone among GC strains resistant to ciprofloxacin was higher than among GC strains susceptible to ciprofloxacin. No differences in ciprofloxacin susceptibility and median MICs for ceftriaxone were observed by collection year. In conclusion no ceftriaxone resistance has been found in Nuuk to date. Continued easy access to diagnostics and treatment combined with increased and more systematic surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility in Nuuk is recommended. Further, it is advisable to investigate the possibilities for intermittent sampling in Greenland outside of Nuuk, if obstacles in relation to sending sampling material to Nuuk can be bypassed.

Objectives: To determine the antimicrobial susceptibility and genotype distribution of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains isolated from a cohort of patients in Nuuk, Greenland in order to assess the risk of rapid spread in the event of introduction of new strains., Methods: Gonococcal isolates (n=102) obtained from a prospective cohort study of ciprofloxacin resistance were collected between March 2012 and February 2013. Etest minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, ceftriaxone, penicillin, tetracycline, spectinomycin and gentamicin. All isolates were subjected to molecular typing using N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST). After the introduction of a ciprofloxacin-resistant strain in early 2014, an additional 18 isolates were characterised., Results: During the study period, all 102 isolates were fully susceptible to ciprofloxacin (≤0.03 mg/L), azithromycin, spectinomycin, gentamicin and ceftriaxone. 10 different NG-MAST types circulated in Nuuk but 7 were found as single isolates, and 3 of the 7 belonged to 1 of the 3 major genogroups (G210, G9816 and G9817) together comprising 96% of the 102 isolates. ST210 accounted for 55% of the 102 strains. The newly introduced ciprofloxacin resistant strain belonged to ST2400 and dominated the population with 59% resistant strains within 6 months after its introduction. All G2400 strains had MICs≥2 mg/L., Conclusions: Introduction of a ciprofloxacin-resistant strain into a very homogeneous N. gonorrhoeae population led to an explosive spread of the resistant clone, probably as a result of large sexual networks suggested by the strain homogeneity. Careful surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility is essential to avoid widespread treatment failure in closed populations., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/)

Objectives: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including infections with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), are highly incident in Greenland. Since January 2011, GC testing has been performed on urine with nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) by strand displacement amplification (Becton Dickinson ProbeTec). Monitoring of GC antibiotic susceptibility by culture was introduced in Nuuk in 2012. Until 2014, no cases of ciprofloxacin-resistant GC strains were reported. In this paper, we report the finding of ciprofloxacin-resistant GC and describe the most recent incidence of GC infections in Greenland., Methods: The number of urine NAATs and culture-positive swabs from January to October 2014 were obtained from the Central Laboratory at Queens Ingrid's Hospital in Nuuk and stratified on gender, place and period of testing. Incidence rates were estimated as number of urine NAAT * (12/10) per 100,000 inhabitants. Men in Nuuk with a positive NAAT for GC were encouraged to provide a urethral swab for culture and susceptibility testing., Results: From January to October 2014, a total of 5,436 urine GC NAATs were performed on patients from Nuuk and 9,031 from the rest of Greenland. Of these, 422 (8%) and 820 (9%) were positive, respectively. From January to August, 6 (15%) cultures from Nuuk were ciprofloxacin resistant while in September and October, 26 (59%) were ciprofloxacin resistant (p<0.01). In total, 35 (40%) of 88 culture-positive isolates showed ciprofloxacin resistance. GC incidence in Nuuk was 3,017 per 100,000 inhabitants per year, compared to 2,491 per 100,000 inhabitants per year in the rest of Greenland., Conclusion: Within a short period, a rapid and dramatic change in ciprofloxacin susceptibility among GC strains isolated in Nuuk was documented and recommendation for first line treatments has changed. Continued monitoring and rethinking of primary and secondary preventive initiatives is highly recommended in this high GC incidence setting.

During a 35-day period, 32 isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains were collected by culture from patients with positive nucleic acid amplification test results in Nuuk, Greenland, where ciprofloxacin is the preferred treatment. All isolates were quinolone susceptible, suggesting that resistance is rare. Sampling patients for culture before treatment may prove useful in reestablishing surveillance.

Invasive bacterial disease occurs frequently among native populations in the Arctic. Although a variety of bacteria are involved in invasive bacterial disease in Greenland, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and other staphylococci are responsible for most cases (69%); incidence varies according to region and ethnicity.

Introduction: The Inuit of Alaska and Canada have a higher incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease than non-inuit. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate incidence and outcome of these infections in Greenland with special reference to pneumococcal serotypes., Study Design: Retrospective study of invasive pneumococcal infections in Greenland in the period 1996-2002., Methods: Cases were defined as patients with positive cultures of Streptococcus pneumoniae from blood and/or CSF samples received at the microbiological laboratory of Dronning Ingrids Hospital Nuuk. Isolates were sent to Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen for serotyping. Medical charts were reviewed., Results: Fifty one cases were identified. The incidence among Inuit was 54 and among non-inuit 17 per 100,000 per year. Twenty one patients were in the age group 35-49 years and 20 in the age group 50-64 years. Twenty patients had meningitis (incidence 6 per 100,000/year). Seventeen patients died (33%). The most common serotypes were 1 (6 cases) and 12F (8 cases). The mortality rate was significantly higher among patients with 12F than among others (p < 0.01). No patients with serotype 1 died., Conclusion: As in Canada and Alaska the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease, especially meningitis, is high among the Inuit in Greenland. Young and middle aged adults were most frequently affected. Pneumococcal serotype seems to be an important determinant for the outcome of invasive pneumococcal disease.