Distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis genotypes in infertile patients of Cordoba, Argentina

Abstract

To detect and characterize Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) genotypes in infertile patients of Córdoba, Argentina; 660 endocervical and urethral swabs and semen samples were collected from infertile patients for detection of C. trachomatis by omp A gene with Hemi Nested-PCR and cryptic plasmid-PCR. Sequencing methods of omp A gene were used to identify C. trachomatis genotypes. The sequences obtained were aligned with chlamydial sequences currently available in the GenBank, for the design of the phylogenetic tree. The prevalence of C. trachomatis was 7.27% (48/660). We did not detect C. trachomatis cryptic plasmid free strains. According to the results of nucleotide sequences, the distribution of genotypes was L1 (50 %) followed by G (25 %), E (12.5%) and D (12.5%). Patients who tested positive to genotype L1 had no symptoms of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). This is the first study that provides information about the distribution of C. trachomatis genotypes and the circulation of cryptic plasmid negative strains of C. trachomatis among patients with infertility in Córdoba, Argentina.