Analysis of Chlamydia trachomatis serovars in endocervical specimens derived from pregnant Japanese women

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method has been employed to amplify a c hlamydial genome encoding four variable segments of the major outer membran e protein and genotyping of different Chlamydia trachomatis serovars was su ccessfully achieved by means of restriction fragment length polymorphism (R FLP) analysis and sequencing of amplified DNA. These methods were applied t o identify the serotypes of C. trachomatis in endocervical specimens obtain ed from asymptomatic pregnant Japanese women at 28-30 weeks of gestation. A mong the 218 specimens, 207 were serotyped 43 (19.3%) as serovar D, 53 (24. 3%) as E, 24 (11.0%) as F, 39 (17.9%) as G, 15 (6.9%) as H, 15 (6.9%) as I, five (2.3%) as J, nine (4.1%) as K and four (1.8%) as mixed. Among the 11 unclassified strains by RFLP, six (2.8%) were identified as serovar B varia nts and five (2.3%) were identified as D/IC-Cal-8. It was suggested that va riants of endemic trachoma serovars also have affinity for the urogenital t ract of Japanese pregnant women. (C) 2000 Federation of European Microbiolo gical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.