Korean J Urogenit Tract Infect Inflamm.  2013 Oct;8(2):98-101. 10.14777/kjutii.2013.8.2.98.

Swedish Variant of Chlamydia trachomatis in Korea

• Kim JK
• Lee G

• KMID: 1502114
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14777/kjutii.2013.8.2.98

Abstract

PURPOSE
Today, many urologists use nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) in diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Korea. A new variant of C. trachomatis with a deletion in the cryptic plasmid, which cannot be detected using commercial tests targeting the deleted DNA sequences, has been found in Sweden. Therefore, the partial deletion of cryptic plasmid DNA means that the diagnostic standards cannot detect chlamydial infection any more in cases of new mutants. The mutant type has been prevalent in Sweden, however, its incidence was not high in other countries such as France, Holland, and Denmark. In or to study the existence of this mutant C. trachomatis in Korea, we developed new primer sets for detection of this mutation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We collected the first voided urine from male urethritis patient from April 2012 to August 2013 (Dankook University Hospital, Cheonan, Korea). We used the 25 confirmed C. trachomatis-positive specimens by using KL1 and KL2 primers for C. trachomatis and tested the existence of mutant chlamydial infection with the newly developed primer sets.
RESULTS
We could not detect any new variant in the samples.
CONCLUSIONS
Although this mutant C. trachomatis is not seen in Korea, we should watch for the occurrence of the type in the future. I would like to briefly report on implications of the surging mutant forms and how we might attain an understanding of this phenomenon.

Keyword

Cryptic plasmid; Chlamydia trachomatis; Variant

MeSH Terms

Base Sequence
Chlamydia trachomatis*
Chlamydia*
Chungcheongnam-do
Denmark
Diagnosis
DNA
France
Humans
Incidence
Korea*
Male
Methods
Netherlands
Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques
Plasmids
Sweden
Urethritis
DNA

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Schematic view of the partial Chlamydia trachomatis cryptic plasmid DNA sequences (reference sequence: HE603233.1). Chlamydia trachomatis plasmid pSW2, strain Sweden2, serovar E (reference sequence; FM8654) revealed 1 377-bp deletion in CDS1 region (box). CDS; coding sequence.

• 

  Fig. 2. (A) Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results of testing for the cryptic plasmid of Chlamydia trachomatis by using a primer set KL1 and KL2. (B) PCR results of testing for the Swedish mutant cryptic plasmid of Chlamydia trachomatis by various primer sets. M: 100 bp DNA ladder marker.

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