This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis genotypes in Taiwan. Urine and endocervical-swab samples were collected from two hospitals located in northern and southern Taiwan. The genotypes of a total of 145 samples positive for C. trachomatis were analysed by sequencing the omp1 gene and this was successful in 102 samples. Nine different C. trachomatis genotypes were identified. Genotype E was the most prevalent (22 %), followed by D and Da (19 %), F (16 %), J (15 %), K (11 %), G (11 %), H (6 %) and Ba (2 %). There was a geographical difference in the prevalence of genotype H (P<0?018) between northern and southern Taiwan. Sequence mutation analysis by BLAST searching against GenBank reference sequences identified 12 genetic variants from a total of 102 omp1 gene sequences. INTRODUCTIONChlamydia trachomatis infection is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial disease. It is estimated that 89 million cases occur annually worldwide (Gaydos et al., 2004). Because in 50 % of men and 80 % of women infected individuals are asymptomatic, the actual number of reported cases represents only a fraction of the infected population (Gaydos et al., 2004). Currently 19 human serovars and related variants (A, B/Ba, C, D/Da, E, F, G, Ga, H, I/Ia, J, K, L1, L2, L2a and L3) have been identified by using polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against the major outer-membrane protein (MOMP) (Grayston & Wang, 1975;Ngandjio et al., 2004;Pedersen et al., 2000;Suchland & Stamm, 1991;Wang et al., 1985;Yuan et al., 1989). Based on the pathogenic potential, serovars A, B, Ba and C are commonly associated with trachoma. Serovars D to K are commonly associated with urogenital infections, such as urethritis, epididymitis, cervicitis, salpingitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy; serovars L1 to L3 are commonly associated with lymphogranuloma venereum (Yuan et al., 1989). Furthermore, suggestions have been made that the infections with C. trachomatis serovars G, I and D are associated with cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and chronic infections with serotype K in women have been recognized as a cause of infertility (Anttila et al., 2001;Koskela et al., 2000;Marrazzo & Stamm, 1998;Morre et al., 2000).Serological typing methods have a limitation in that newly emerging types may be missed and culturing of clinical isolate is usually required (Eckert et al., 2000;Suchland & Stamm, 1991). Compared to serotyping, the genotyping methods are more sensitive and specific for C. trachomatis serovar identification (Molano et al., 2004). Many studies have shown the feasibility of deducing the serotypes of C. trachomatis clinical isolates using PCR-based RFLP or sequencing of the amplified omp1 gene that encodes the MOMP, the main surface antigen of C. trachomatis (Ikehata et al., 2000; Lysén et al., 2004;Ngandjio et al., 2003Ngandjio et al., , 2004Singh et al., 2003). The omp1 gene exhibits extensive DNA sequence variation in four discrete regions, termed variable segments (VS1-4...

a total of 146 Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates collected from 139 male patients in Taipei, Taiwan, were analyzed by N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST) and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The resistance rates of all isolates to ciprofloxacin, cefpodoxime, and cefixime were 76.7 (112/146), 21.2 (31/146), and 16.4% (24/146), respectively. NG-MAST identified 71 sequence types (STs), of which 21 STs contained 2 to 21 isolates. The isolates that belonged to the three major ST clusters typically were from patients who had specific epidemiological characteristics (such as sexual orientation and human immunodeficiency virus status). The major ST clones exhibited distinct resistance profiles and are associated with specific groups at high risk of human immunodeficiency virus and syphilis infections.

Background: The main objective of this study is to examine the epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection amongst patients (473 men, 180 women) seen two hospitals in Taiwan.

The identification of Chlamydia trachomatis genotypes is important for both the study of molecular epidemiology and infection control. We have developed a microsphere suspension array assay that can identify C. trachomatis genotypes rapidly and accurately and also discriminate among multiple genotypes in one clinical specimen.

In this sample of patients attending STD clinics in Taiwan, syndromic management was found to be a more cost-effective protocol in terms of cost per treated STD patient compared with the current and aetiological protocols for STD.