Molecular epidemiology of syphilis in Scotland. Issue 6 (3rd June 2009)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cole, M J; Chisholm, S A; Palmer, H M; Wallace, L A; Ison, C A
• Is Part Of: Sexually transmitted infections. Volume 85:Issue 6(2009)
• Page Start: 447
• Page End: 451
• Publication Date: 2009-06-03
• Subjects: Sexually transmitted diseases -- Periodicals; HIV infections -- Periodicals; 616.951005
• DOI: 10.1136/sti.2009.036301
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1368-4973

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To examine the molecular epidemiology of syphilis in Scotland. Methods: Ulcer specimens were collected from 85 patients with infectious syphilis. Typing of Treponema pallidum was performed using a method that examines variation in two loci; the number of 60-basepair repeats within the arp gene and sequence variation in the tpr genes. Results: Patients were predominately white men who have sex with men (MSM). Treponemal DNA was detected in 75 specimens and a total of six subtypes were identified from 58 typeable specimens (77%). The most common subtypes were 14 d (44/58, 76%), followed by 14 e (7/58, 12%), 14 j (3/58, 5%), 14 b (2/58, 3%), 14 p and 14 k (1/58, 2%). Conclusions: This study shows that subtype 14 d is the predominant subtype circulating in Scotland and there is a surprising level of genetic diversity within the Scottish MSM community.