GENETIC DIVERSITY OF NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE ISOLATES, CIRCULATING IN KAZAKHSTAN
In the present study nine variable number tandem repeats (VNTR) loci were identified in the Neisseria gonorrhoeae genome in silico. A sample containing 48 isolates was characterized by the VNTR analysis, opa-typing and multi-antigenic sequence typing (nG-MAST). Hunter-Gaston Discrimination Index (HGDI) for these methods was 0.98, 0.97 and 0.95, respectively. Based on these data we can conclude that VNTR analysis is a highly discriminatory method that is convenient for N. gonorrhoeae isolates genotyping.