Genetic structure and diversity of based on a MLVA typing scheme.

BACKGROUND

Several epidemiological studies have been carried out using Multiple-Locus Variable-number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA) for typing. However, a global perspective on the implications of the genetic diversity of this pathogen is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine and to analyze the genetic structure of based on the R1-R3 MLVA typing scheme and to characterize, analyze and compare MLVA types among countries where the information was publicly available.

METHODS

A set of 797 publicly available data of R1-R3 MLVA genetic types from six different countries were analyzed using Genalex 6.41 software to characterize loci polymorphism and using Structure 2.3.4 software in order to identify the genetic structure.

RESULTS

A total of 185 MLVA types were identified among the analyzed data. For the R1 and R3 loci, most of the molecular variation in populations was identified within countries. Three genetic clusters and their recombinations were identified globally.

CONCLUSION

is a genetically diverse pathogen with limited clonality and three well-defined clusters and their combinations were identified in this investigation. The greatest genetic variation of was observed within countries.