Evaluation of serotyping using monoclonal antibodies and PCR-RFLP for Chlamydia trachomatis serotype identification

We compared genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) a nalysis of the amplified omp1 gene with serotyping by dot enzyme-linked imm unosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) to determine the suitability of RFLP analysis for epidemiologic study, Fifteen prototypes of Chlamydia trachomatis and 30 clinical isolates were used in this study. To serotype with dot-ELISA, chl amydia antigen was spotted onto a series of replicate nitrocellulose membra ne patches and reacted with 11 mAbs that distinguish the 15 known serovars of C. trachomatis, For RFLP analysis, the amplified chlamydia ompf gene was digested with AluI to differentiate serovars A to K and L1 to L3, Serovars of C, H, I, J, and L3 were further typed by RFLP analysis after digestion with HinfI, and a combination of EcoRI and DdeI. PCR-based RFLP could ident ify serotype of 28 among 30 clinical isolates tested. The remaining two unt ypical isolates were probably due to double infections or mechanical transf erring error. Serotyping of C. trachomatis isolates shows that serovars E, D, F, and H are the most prevalent types found in urogenital samples in Kor ea. In this study, we show that RFLP analysis of amplified omp1 gene may be useful in genotyping C. trachomatis isolates.