Abstract

BackgroundThis is the first report to characterize the prevalence and genovar distribution of genital chlamydial infections among random heterosexual patients in the multi-ethnic Saratov Region, located in Southeast Russia.MethodsSixty-one clinical samples (cervical or urethral swabs) collected from a random cohort of 856 patients (7.1%) were C. trachomatis (CT) positive in commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and duplex TaqMan PCRs.ResultsSequence analysis of the VDII region of the ompA gene revealed seven genovars of C. trachomatis in PCR-positive patients. The overall genovars were distributed as E (41.9%), G (21.6%), F (13.5%), K (9.5%), D (6.8%), J (4.1%), and H (2.7%). CT-positive samples were from males (n = 12, 19.7%), females (n = 42, 68.8%), and anonymous (n = 7, 11.5%) patients, with an age range of 19 to 45 years (average 26.4), including 12 different ethnic groups representative of this region. Most patients were infected with a single genovar (82%), while 18% were co-infected with either two or three genovars. The 1156 bp-fragment of the ompA gene was sequenced in 46 samples to determine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) among isolates. SNP-based subtyping and phylogenetic reconstruction revealed the presence of 13 variants of the ompA gene, such as E (E1, E2, E6), G (G1, G2, G3, G5), F1, K, D (D1, Da2), J1, and H2. Differing genovar distribution was identified among urban (E>G>F) and rural (E>K) populations, and in Slavic (E>G>D) and non-Slavic (E>G>K) ethnic groups. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) determined five sequences types (STs), such as ST4 (56%, 95% confidence interval, CI, 70.0 to 41.3), ST6 (10%, 95% CI 21.8 to 3.3), ST9 (22%, 95% CI 35.9 to 11.5), ST10 (2%, 95% CI 10.7 to 0.05) and ST38 (10%, 95% CI 21.8 to 3.3). Thus, the most common STs were ST4 and ST9.ConclusionC. trachomatis is a significant cause of morbidity among random heterosexual patients with genital chlamydial infections in the Saratov Region. Further studies should extend this investigation by describing trends in a larger population, both inside and outside of the Saratov Region to clarify some aspects for the actual application of C. trachomatis genotype analysis for disease control.

Highlights

  • Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is one of the most commonly occurring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in both young men and females with an annual estimate of 105.7 million new cases worldwide [1]

  • Further studies should extend this investigation by describing trends in a larger population, both inside and outside of the Saratov Region to clarify some aspects for the actual application of C. trachomatis genotype analysis for disease control

  • The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among patients in multi-ethnic European Region located in Southeast Russia

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) is one of the most commonly occurring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in both young men and females with an annual estimate of 105.7 million new cases worldwide [1]. National diagnostic laboratories have developed the capability to molecularly detect CT DNA in clinical specimens of chlamydial patients by highly sensitive nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) [6] These detection systems do not provide genetic tools to discriminate CT genovars, even for the ompA gene polymorphism that has been generally accepted as a single-locus typing standard [7]. Our research revealed the most common CT sequences types (STs) in the Saratov Region This is the first report to characterize the prevalence and genovar distribution of genital chlamydial infections among random heterosexual patients in the multi-ethnic Saratov Region, located in Southeast Russia

Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (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