Genetic diversity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence types in Russia and Europe

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of this work was to assess the genetic diversity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Russia and Europe and to compare the distribution of the N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequencing types (NG-MAST) of Russian isolates with that of isolates from European countries.

Methods: NG-MAST typing was performed for 804 N. gonorrhoeae isolates collected in Russia in 2013-2018. For isolates from European countries, data from the https://pathogen.watch/collection/eurogasp2013 database were used.

Results: Among the isolates from Russia, 296 NG-MAST types were found. A maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree was constructed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed seven major genogroups uniting the most frequent Russian sequence types: G807, G1993, G9476, G14942, G1152, G9486, and G12531.

Conclusions: The NG-MAST type distribution in Russia differed from that in European countries. Most of the Russian isolates had sequence types that were not found in Europe. Only 33% of the Russian isolates belonged to genogroups established for European countries, and the widespread European genogroup G1407 was represented by only nine isolates. Analysis of the Russian isolates belonging to phylogenetically close European genogroups indicated similarities in drug resistance, although no epidemically dangerous drug-resistant clones were found among the Russian isolates.

Keywords: N. gonorrhoeae multi-antigen sequence typing (NG-MAST); Neisseria gonorrhoeae; Phylogenetic analysis; Phylogenetic tree.