SEQUENCE ANALYSIS OF A FRAGMENT OF ROMPA GENE OF SEVERAL ISOLATES OF SPOTTED FEVER GROUP RICKETTSIAE FROM CHINA

: The nucleotide sequence of rOmpA gene fragment of three Chinese isolates of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) (BJ-90, Ha-91 and HLJ-054) was determined. The obtained nucleotide and putative amino acid sequences were compared with those of another Chinese SFGR isolate (HL-93) and several prototype SFGR strains. This comparison showed that the isolates BJ-90 and Ha-91 are closely related to each other and R. sibirica but different from the isolates HLJ-054 and HL-93. We assume that with exception of the isolates HLJ-054 and HL-93 that represent new, unique members of SFGR, the isolates BJ-90 and Ha-91 are closely related to R. sibirica, one of the prototype SFGR strains.