PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Suvi Korhonen AU - Eija Hiltunen-Back AU - Mirja Puolakkainen TI - Genotyping of <em>Chlamydia trachomatis</em> in rectal and pharyngeal specimens: identification of LGV genotypes in Finland AID - 10.1136/sextrans-2011-050458 DP - 2012 Oct 01 TA - Sexually Transmitted Infections PG - 465--469 VI - 88 IP - 6 4099 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/88/6/465.short 4100 - http://sti.bmj.com/content/88/6/465.full SO - Sex Transm Infect2012 Oct 01; 88 AB - Objectives Lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis L types have recently emerged in Europe among HIV-positive men having sex with men. Our aim was to introduce a genotyping strategy suitable for a diagnostic laboratory using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for detection of C trachomatis and to investigate the prevalence of LGV types in rectal and pharyngeal specimens in Finland. Methods Aptima Combo 2 (Gen-Probe) was used to detect C trachomatis in swabs. Altogether 140 C trachomatis NAAT-positive rectal and pharyngeal samples were genotyped by pmpH and ompA real-time PCR. Results Of the 140 NAAT-positive rectal and pharyngeal specimens, 114 (81%) were successfully typed by pmpH PCR. One hundred and four samples contained non-LGV, nine samples LGV and one sample both non-LGV and LGV C trachomatis types. The C trachomatis LGV types were mainly found in rectal samples. Six of the L types were confirmed to be genotype L2b and two were L2 with ompA PCR and sequencing. Conclusions Our experience suggests that genotyping C trachomatis by pmpH PCR can be introduced as a function of a diagnostic laboratory already using NAAT for detection of C trachomatis. The data show that LGV infections occur also in Finland. LGV should be taken into account when considering treatment and management of rectal C trachomatis infections.