Characterisation of hospital isolates of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis by SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins, immunoblotting and restriction-endonuclease analysis.
Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of whole-cell proteins (WCP), immunoblot analysis and DNA restriction-endonuclease analysis (REA) were applied as potential typing methods to 31 clinically significant strains of Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, five of which came from a suspected outbreak of nosocomial infection in a respiratory-diseases ward. Twelve of 31 isolates were placed in four groups, each of which contained strains indistinguishable by the three typing techniques used. Each of a further two groups contained two strains, and they were similar by at least one technique; the remaining 15 strains were unique by all three methods. Four of five strains from the suspected outbreak were indistinguishable by SDS-PAGE of WCP, immunoblotting and REA. Results show that SDS-PAGE of WCP, immunoblotting and REA are suitable techniques for characterising M. catarrhalis and that there is a considerable degree of strain heterogeneity. Nosocomial infection with M. catarrhalis may be relatively common and further epidemiological studies with a combination of typing techniques are indicated.
McKenzie
H
H
Department of Medical Microbiology, Foresterhill, Aberdeen.
Morgan
M G
MG
Jordens
J Z
JZ
Enright
M C
MC
Bain
M
M
D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000091402:Prohibitins; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; C000717331:PHB2 protein, human; D000091402:Prohibitins