title: Opa typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains isolated from patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gonorrhoea has been one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in China. A clear understanding of its transmission dynamics is important in formulating prevention and control measures.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the distribution of opa types in patients attending at STD clinics in China and to evaluate the concordance between epidemiologic data and opa-typing results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Opa typing was conducted for 330 Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains isolated from the patients at 4 STDs clinics in China, and the epidemiologic data were collected as well.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 309 opa types were detected from the 330 isolates. Two hundred ninety-two opa types were unique, and 17 opa types were found in more than 1 patient. Opa typing confirmed all 9 sexual links that were revealed by epidemiologic information and further identified 9 opa clusters and 8 similar pairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Opa typing is a discriminatory tool that can be used in epidemiologic studies on gonococcal infections. This technique is more powerful than epidemiologic data to identify sexual links and improve our understanding of the transmission dynamics of gonorrhoea.
authors: Department of STD Reference Laboratory, China CDC National Center for STD Control, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), China.
authors: Qiang
authors: Q
authors: Chen
authors: Yue-Ping
authors: YP
authors: Yin
authors: Xiu-Qin
authors: XQ
authors: Dai
authors: Yan-Hua
authors: YH
authors: Yu
authors: Hong-Chun
authors: HC
authors: Wang
authors: Bang-Yong
authors: BY
authors: Zhu
authors: Xing
authors: X
authors: Gao
authors: Xiang-Sheng
authors: XS
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial