Characterizing the Rise of Disseminated Gonococcal Infections in California, July 2020-July 2021.

Background: California has experienced an increase in reported cases of disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). Given significant morbidity associated with DGI and the ability of Neisseria gonorrhoeae to rapidly develop antibiotic resistance, characterization of these cases can inform diagnosis, management, and prevention of DGI.

Methods: As part of the public health response to increased reports of DGI, we used gonorrhea surveillance data reported to the California Department of Public Health to identify all DGI cases in a geographically-bound region.