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Aim:To describe the molecular types of Treponema pallidumand the proportion of macrolide and tetracycline resistance mutations in Barcelona. Materials & methods:Molecular type was determined using the Enhanced-CDC Typing system and antibiotic resistance was determined by sequencing the 23S and 16S rRNA genes. Results:A total of 183 patients were enrolled and 213 specimens (99 ulcers, 114 bloods) were collected. Sixty-two (70.5%) of 88 ulcers and 0 (0%) of bloods T. pallidum-DNA containing samples were fully typed. Up to 21 different strain types were identified (14d/g in 27.4%; 14f/g in 14.5%). Macrolide resistance mutations were present in 95% and tetracycline in 0%. Conclusion:Several different strains co-exist in Barcelona with a high proportion of macrolide resistance and absence of tetracycline resistance.

Aim:To implement the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) methodology in syphilis samples previously characterized by enhanced CDC typing (ECDCT) and macrolide resistance. Materials & methods:MLST was performed on genital ulcer and blood samples by analyzing a region of the tp0136, tp0548and tp0705lociusing Sanger sequencing. Results:Up to 59/85 (69.4%) of genital ulcer and 4/39 (10.3%) of whole blood samples were fully typed. The most frequent profiles were 1.3.1 (56%) and 1.1.1 (11%). All the 1.3.1 samples typed carried the A2058G mutation, responsible for macrolide resistance. MLST and ECDCT showed similar overall typing yields. Conclusion:Several allelic profiles of T. pallidumsubsp. pallidumwere identified and classified into two major genetic clades in Barcelona. Our results were similar to that described in Europe.