Abstract
We traced the Chlamydia trachomatis L2b variant in Amsterdam and San Francisco. All recent lymphogranuloma venereum cases in Amsterdam were caused by the L2b variant. This variant was also present in the 1980s in San Francisco. Thus, the current "outbreak" is most likely a slowly evolving epidemic.
Highlights
We traced the Chlamydia trachomatis L2b variant in Amsterdam and San Francisco
The L2b lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) variant identified as the cause of all the LGV proctitis in the recent outbreak among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Amsterdam appears to have been circulating in Amsterdam in 2000
We showed that this L2b variant was present in the 1980s in San Francisco with exactly the same mutations in the complete ompA gene
Summary
Joke Spaargaren,* Julius Schachter,† Jeanne Moncada,† Henry J.C. de Vries,*‡ Han S.A. All recent lymphogranuloma venereum cases in Amsterdam were caused by the L2b variant This variant was present in the 1980s in San Francisco. In a recent article on this LGV outbreak [3], 2 issues were stressed: 1) the lack of an easy diagnostic tool and 2) whether lymphogranuloma venereum is a new problem or whether it has been present but undiagnosed. Among the obstacles to the correct diagnosis of LGV is the lack of a commercially available assay to distinguish between C. trachomatis infections caused by LGV serovars and infections caused by less invasive C We used this new diagnostic tool to determine whether the LGV outbreak and its cause are a new phenomenon or whether LGV C. trachomatis serovars have been present much longer but have gone undiagnosed. We performed the same analysis on archived specimens from MSM in San Francisco, California, collected 20–25 years ago
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
