Genotyping of Chlamydia trachomatis from endocervical specimens of infertile Mexican women

Enferm Infecc Microbiol Clin. 2011 Feb;29(2):102-8. doi: 10.1016/j.eimc.2010.08.014. Epub 2011 Feb 26.

Abstract

Introduction: It has been reported in several countries that Chlamydia trachomatis genotypes D, E, and F are the ones more frequently associated with urogenital infections. In Mexico, the prevalence of serovars and genotypes is unknown.

Material and methods: One hundred and fifty-two endocervical swabs were collected from infertile women to test for C. trachomatis. The PCR-based RFLP and automated-sequencing methods of ompA gene was used to identify the C. trachomatis genotypes. Sequences of 891 pb obtained were aligned with currently available chlamydial sequences from GenBank to identify the corresponding genotype.

Results: Twenty-four women with infertility (15.8%) were positive for C. trachomatis. According to the RFLP and nucleotide sequences results the most prevalent ompA genotype corresponded to serovar F (n=13 [54.2%]), followed by serovars E (n=2 [8.7%]), G (n=2 [8.7%]), K (n=2 [8.7%]) and LGV (n=2 [8.7%]), while serovars D, H and Ia were less prevalent (all n=1 [4.2%]). None of the patients who were positive to genovar L2 had symptoms of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). Nucleotide sequences analysis showed a new genovariant of L2, which was different to L2b to L2f. Mutation points were observed in VS1 domain of Omp A.

Conclusions: In this study the most common genotypes were F. Furthermore, the L2 genovariants were demonstrated in infertile women without signs and symptoms of LGV disease. Presence of point mutations in L2 genotype sequences were seen by which there is a need for further research in order to identify new L2 genetic variants that exist in Latin America.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asymptomatic Diseases / epidemiology
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Cervix Uteri / microbiology*
  • Chlamydia Infections / epidemiology
  • Chlamydia Infections / microbiology*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / classification
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / genetics*
  • Chlamydia trachomatis / isolation & purification
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Female / epidemiology
  • Infertility, Female / microbiology*
  • Mexico / epidemiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Prevalence
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • OMPA outer membrane proteins