title: Molecular Typing of Treponema pallidum in Denmark: A Nationwide Study of Syphilis.
abstract: The aim of this nationwide study is to determine the strain type diversity among patients diagnosed with syphilis by PCR during a 4-year period in Denmark. Epidemiological data, including HIV status, for all patients were obtained from the Danish national syphilis registration system. Molecular strain typing was based on characterization of 3 variable treponemal genes, arp, tpr and tp0548. A total of 278 specimens from 269 patients were included. Among the fully typeable specimens (n = 197), 22 strain types were identified, with 1 type, 14d/g, accounting for 54%. The majority (93%) of the patients reported acquiring syphilis in Denmark. Among patients with concurrent HIV, 9 full strain types were identified and no difference in strain type was found by HIV status (p = 0.197). In conclusion, the majority of patients were infected in Denmark and the HIV-infected syphilis patients were diagnosed with a wide spectrum of different strain types of Treponema pallidum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Salado-Rasmussen
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstoft
authors.forename: Helle Kiellberg
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Steen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Troels Bygum
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: Terese Lea
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Katzenstein
authors.forename: Jørgen Skov
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D060085:Coinfection; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C406409:Tpr protein, Treponema