NRL of Sexually transmitted infections

 

Head of NRL STI

Dr. Iva Ognyanova Filipova

tel. +359 2 944 69 99 / ext. 205 /

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Laboratory staff:

Daniela Spasova

lab. worker

 

Clinical specimens for PCR-based microbiological testing are accepted Monday to Wednesday, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Test results are available on Thursdays after 12:00 p.m.

Main Activities

The National Reference Laboratory for Sexually Transmitted Infections (NRL STI) provides specialized laboratory diagnostics and carries out reference, research, and educational activities in the field of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Plan_NRL_SPI (PDF, 180kb)

SPI_Collection_transportation_and_storage_of_specimens (PDF, 224kb)

Diagnostic activities include:

  • Laboratory diagnosis of syphilis using serological and molecular methods.
  • Microbiological diagnosis of gonorrhoea (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), including antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
  • Molecular diagnosis by PCR of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium, including testing of extragenital specimens.
  • Molecular diagnosis of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV).

The laboratory provides methodological guidance and consultation and participates in STI epidemiological surveillance and antimicrobial resistance monitoring.

The NRL STI organizes and delivers a postgraduate training course entitled “Laboratory Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections.”

International and National Programmes

The NRL STI participates in international external quality assessment (EQA) schemes for laboratory diagnostics:

  • INSTAND (Germany) – molecular detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
  • UK NEQAS (United Kingdom) – antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

The laboratory participates in the European Network for Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance (STI Network) coordinated by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), as well as in the European Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (Euro-GASP).

The NRL STI also contributes to the implementation of the National Programme for the Prevention of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections in the Republic of Bulgaria (2026–2030)..

Research Activities and Projects

  1. “Investigation of Antimicrobial Resistance in the Etiological Agent of Syphilis (Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum) in Bulgaria”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF), Grant Agreement No. KP-06-N83/1, 2024 – ongoing project.
  2. “Investigation of the Public Health Benefits of Extragenital Testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF), Grant Agreement No. KP-06-M33/1, 2019.
  3. “Molecular approaches to enhance surveillance of gonococcal and genital mycoplasma antimicrobial resistance”, funded by the Bulgarian National Science Fund (BNSF), Grant Agreement No. DN13/5, 2017.

Scientific Publications

The results of the laboratory's research activities over the past five years have been published in the following international and national peer-reviewed journals:

  1. Philipova, I., Mademova, M., Birindjieva, E., Milanova, V. and Levterova, V., 2024. Implementation of Mycoplasma genitalium Diagnostics with Macrolide-Resistance Detection Improves Patient Treatment Outcomes in Bulgaria. Diagnostics, 14(23), p.2665. IF 3.0
  2. Philipova, I., Birindjieva, E., Milanova, V. and Levterova, V., 2024. MOLECULAR SURVEILLANCE OF GONOCOCCAL CIPROFLOXACIN SUSCEPTIBILITY / RESISTANCE IN BULGARIA, 2022-2023. PROBLEMS of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 52(2), pp.20-27. Q4
  3. Unemo, M., Cole, M.J., Kodmon, C., Day, M., Jacobsson, S. and European Gonococcal Tetracycline-Resistance Study Group, 2024. High tetracycline resistance percentages in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Europe: is doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis unlikely to reduce the incident gonorrhoea cases?. The Lancet regional health. Europe, 38, p.100871. IF 13.6
  4. Philipova, I., Hadad, R., Levterova, V., Kantardjiev, T. and Unemo, M., 2023. Mycoplasma genitalium antimicrobial (azithromycin and moxifloxacin) resistance and treatment outcome in Sofia, Bulgaria, 2018–2021. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology, 37(8). IF 8.5
  5. Philipova I, Levterova V, Simeonovski I, Kantardjiev T. Antimicrobial Resistance and Whole Genome Sequencing Analysis of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Isolates in Bulgaria, 2019. Comptes rendus l’Académie Bulg des Sci Sci mathématiques Nat. 2022;75(11):1579–87. IF 0.326
  6. Philipova I, Levterova V, Simeonovski I, Kantardjiev T. Azithromycin treatment failure and macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma genitalium infections in Sofia, Bulgaria. Folia medica (Plovdiv). 2022;64(3):422–9. Q4
  7. Philipova I, Levterova V, Simeonovski I, Kantardjiev T. High rate of fluoroquinolone resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae detected by molecular surveillance of antimicrobial resistance determinants in Bulgaria. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip. 2022;36(1):942–8. IF 1.762
  8. Philipova I, Birindjieva E, Milanov A, Stoitsova S. Prevalence of pharyngeal and rectal Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections among MSM in Sofia, Bulgaria. Probl Infect Parasit Dis. 2022; Q4
  9. Philipova I, Stoitsova S, Birindjieva E, Milanov A, Levterova V. First confirmed Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) cases among MSM in Bulgaria, 2020–2021. World J Adv Res Rev. 2022;14(3):670–673.
  10. Pakov I, Birindzhieva E, Philipova I, Terzieva K, Gancheva G. PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS (PREP) OF HIV INFECTION – A CRUCIAL TOOL FOR REDUCING THE BURDEN UPON THE PUBLIC HEALTH. J IMAB - Annu Proceeding (Scientific Pap. 2022;28(4):4688–90. Q3
  11. Philipova I, Levterova V, Simeonovski I, Ivanova Z, Boyanova L, Kantardjiev T. Prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium in Bulgarian population of reproductive age from Sofia Municipality, 2018-2019. PROBLEMS of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases. 2021 Aug 27;49(2):20-6. Q4