You are here

Article Text

Article menu
Download PDFPDF
Original research
Genetic characterisation of lymphogranuloma venereum in Spain: a multicentre study
  1. Paula Salmerón1,2,
  2. Judit Serra-Pladevall2,3,4,5,
  3. Martí Vall-Mayans2,6,
  4. Laura Villa2,7,
  5. Luis Otero-Guerra2,8,
  6. Ana Milagro2,9,
  7. María D Maciá2,10,
  8. Samuel Bernal2,11,
  9. Luis Piñeiro2,12
  1. 1 Microbiology Department, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
  2. 2 Sexually Transmitted Infections Study Group (GEITS), Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), Madrid, Spain
  3. 3 Clinical Laboratory, Multidisciplinary Inflammation Research Group (MIRG), Hospital Universitary de Vic. Hospital Universitari de la UVIC-UCC, Vic, Spain
  4. 4 Faculty of Health Sciences, FUBalmes, Universitat de Vic - Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC), Vic, Spain
  5. 5 Fundació Institut de Recerca i Innovació en Ciències de la Vida i de la Salut de la Catalunya Central (IRIS-CC), Vic, Spain
  6. 6 Drassanes-Vall d’Hebron Sexually Transmitted Infections Unit, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain
  7. 7 Microbiology Department, Central University Hospital of Asturias and Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
  8. 8 Microbiology Department, Hospital de Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain
  9. 9 Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Zaragoza, Spain
  10. 10 Microbiology Department, Son Espases Hospital Universitari, Mallorca, Spain
  11. 11 Unit of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (UCEIM), Hospital Universitario deValme, Sevilla, Spain
  12. 12 Microbiology Department, Hospital Universitario Donostia – Instituto Investigación Sanitaria Biogipuzkoa, San Sebastián, Spain
  1. Correspondence to Dr Luis Piñeiro; luisdario.pineirovazquez{at}osakidetza.eus

Abstract

Introduction Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis genotypes L1–L3. A combination of techniques with high discriminatory capacity such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and the analysis of the ompA gene may be useful to determine the greater penetration of certain strains in transmission networks and their relationship with certain tropisms.

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of LGV isolates from different regions of Spain.

Methods Genetic characterisation of LGV isolates detected in six hospitals from Spain between 2018 and 2019 was performed. MLST (five variable regions: hctB, CT058, CT144, CT172 and pbpB) and ompA sequence determination were used to study the LGV strains.

Results Most of the 161 LGV isolates (93.8%) were detected in men who have sex with men (MSM). At least 43.5% of the patients presented with HIV coinfection and 53.4% were symptomatic, with proctitis being the most prevalent symptom (73.3%). Most isolates were detected in Barcelona (n=129).

The distribution of ompA genovariants was as follows: 56.1% belonged to L2, 24.3% to L2b, 5.4% to L2bV1, 4.7% to L2bV4, 4.1% to L1, 2.7% to L2b/D-Da, 2.0% to L2bV2 and 0.7% to L2bV7. MLST was successfully performed in 81 samples and 9 different sequence types (STs) were detected. The ompA and MLST combination obtained 17 different genetic profiles, with L2-ST53 and L2-ST58 being the most prevalent (29.5% and 14.1%, respectively). L1 genotype strains belonged to ST23 (n=3) and ST2 (n=3).

Conclusion LGV infections were mainly found in MSM living with HIV and with proctitis. The joint analysis of ompA and MLST genetic characterisation techniques showed a high discriminatory capacity. Our findings suggest a cocirculation of L2 and L2b ompA genotypes, and with the inclusion of MLST characterisation, the most prevalent profiles were ompA genotype L2-MLST ST53 and L2-MLST ST58.

  • LYMPHOGRANULOMA VENEREUM
  • Chalmydia Trachomatis
  • Sexual Behavior

Data availability statement

Data are available on reasonable request. The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

https://doi.org/10.1136/sextrans-2023-056021

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    Data availability statement

    Data are available on reasonable request. The datasets generated and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

    View Full Text

    Footnotes

    • Handling editor Anna Maria Geretti

    • X @Luis_Pineiro_V

    • Contributors LP is the guarantor and conceived and led the design of this project. All authors performed data collection. PS carried out the molecular characterisation analysis, analysed the results and wrote the initial draft with JS-P and LP. All authors reviewed and approved the final draft.

    • Funding This study was funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project ‘PI17/01886’ and cofunded by the European Union.

    • Map disclaimer The inclusion of any map (including the depiction of any boundaries therein), or of any geographic or locational reference, does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of BMJ concerning the legal status of any country, territory, jurisdiction or area or of its authorities. Any such expression remains solely that of the relevant source and is not endorsed by BMJ. Maps are provided without any warranty of any kind, either express or implied.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.