Molecular Typing of Pathogenic Leptospira Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae Strains Circulating in China during the Past 50 Years

摘要: Background Leptospirosis is one of the most important neglected tropical infectious diseases worldwide. Icterohaemorrhagiae has been throughout recent history, and still is, predominant serogroup this pathogen in China. However, very little detail known about serovars or genotypes serogroup. Methodology/Principal Findings In study, 120 epidemic strains from five geographically diverse regions China collected over a 50 year period (1958~2008), 8 international reference characterized by 16S rRNA sequencing MLST analysis. 115, 11 2 were identified as L. interrogans, borgpetersenii, kirschneri, respectively. 17 different STs including 69 ST1 strains, 18 ST17, ST128, 9 ST143 ST209. The remaining 12 belonged to STs. eBURST analysis demonstrated that, among clonal complexes isolated (CCs), CC1 accounted for 73.3% (88/120) representing three STs: ST1, ST128 ST98. was likely ancestral strain CC, followed singleton CC17 (17/120) CC143 (11/120). Further adding 116 database studies previously described using global MST dendrogram revealed relatively similar ST clustering patterns with main CCs singletons these 244 strains. found be prevalent clone pathogenic Leptospira circulating This first time, our knowledge, that ST17 distributed 4 distinct serovars, indicating highly complicated relationship between STs. Conclusions/Significance Our high level genetic diversity Distinct ST37 elsewhere, included CC1, past years so, proven leptospires Moreover, indicates an urgent need develop improved scheme serotyping.