Olivia W Cummings, Marlene L Durand, Miriam B Barshak, Paulo J M Bispo
{"title":"Molecular Detection and Typing of <i>Treponema pallidum</i> in Non-Ocular Samples from Patients with Ocular Syphilis.","authors":"Olivia W Cummings, Marlene L Durand, Miriam B Barshak, Paulo J M Bispo","doi":"10.1080/09273948.2023.2263086","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Ocular syphilis is a rare but potentially sight-threatening manifestation of infection with the spirochete <i>Treponema pallidum</i> subspecies <i>pallidum</i>. Molecular strain typing of clinical specimens obtained from patients with syphilis can provide useful epidemiological and clinical information. In this study, we assess the utility of non-ocular clinical samples in strain typing for patients with diagnosed ocular syphilis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We collected samples of excess blood, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 6 patients with ocular syphilis treated in 2013-2016. DNA was extracted, purified, and then analyzed using an enhanced molecular typing method including sequence analysis of <i>tp0548</i>, number of repeats in the <i>arp</i> gene, and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the <i>tpr</i> gene.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Molecular strain typing based on <i>tp0548</i> gene sequence analysis revealed two cases of type F and two cases of type G in 3 of 6 (50%) cases with CSF samples, 1 of which was obtained after starting antibiotics. In a patient with 2 distinct episodes, the same <i>tp0548</i> type (type G) was identified in both episodes using different sample types (CSF, whole blood). Serum samples were available in 6 cases, but none were successfully typed with any of the methods. Amplification of the <i>tpr</i> and <i>arp</i> genes was unsuccessful in all cases. Overall, strain types were identified in 4 of the 7 episodes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong><i>Treponema pallidum</i> strain types F and G were detected in CSF or whole blood in 4 of 7 episodes in this series. We demonstrate moderate sensitivity of strain typing in ocular syphilis using non-ocular clinical specimens.</p>","PeriodicalId":19406,"journal":{"name":"Ocular Immunology and Inflammation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ocular Immunology and Inflammation","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2023.2263086","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/10/5 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"OPHTHALMOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Ocular syphilis is a rare but potentially sight-threatening manifestation of infection with the spirochete Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. Molecular strain typing of clinical specimens obtained from patients with syphilis can provide useful epidemiological and clinical information. In this study, we assess the utility of non-ocular clinical samples in strain typing for patients with diagnosed ocular syphilis.
Methods: We collected samples of excess blood, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 6 patients with ocular syphilis treated in 2013-2016. DNA was extracted, purified, and then analyzed using an enhanced molecular typing method including sequence analysis of tp0548, number of repeats in the arp gene, and restriction fragment length polymorphism of the tpr gene.
Results: Molecular strain typing based on tp0548 gene sequence analysis revealed two cases of type F and two cases of type G in 3 of 6 (50%) cases with CSF samples, 1 of which was obtained after starting antibiotics. In a patient with 2 distinct episodes, the same tp0548 type (type G) was identified in both episodes using different sample types (CSF, whole blood). Serum samples were available in 6 cases, but none were successfully typed with any of the methods. Amplification of the tpr and arp genes was unsuccessful in all cases. Overall, strain types were identified in 4 of the 7 episodes.
Conclusion: Treponema pallidum strain types F and G were detected in CSF or whole blood in 4 of 7 episodes in this series. We demonstrate moderate sensitivity of strain typing in ocular syphilis using non-ocular clinical specimens.
期刊介绍:
Ocular Immunology & Inflammation ranks 18 out of 59 in the Ophthalmology Category.Ocular Immunology and Inflammation is a peer-reviewed, scientific publication that welcomes the submission of original, previously unpublished manuscripts directed to ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Published bimonthly, the journal provides an international medium for basic and clinical research reports on the ocular inflammatory response and its control by the immune system. The journal publishes original research papers, case reports, reviews, letters to the editor, meeting abstracts, and invited editorials.