Epidemiological typing of Moraxella catarrhalis by using DNA probes.
Small-fragment restriction enzyme analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization were used to compare 60 strains of Moraxella catarrhalis isolated from various geographic locations. Restriction enzyme analysis with HaeIII resulted in 46 different patterns, 7 of which were shared by more than one isolate. Hybridizations with two DNA probes resulted in 18 different patterns, 11 of which were shared by more than one isolate. Strains with the same restriction enzyme pattern always had the same hybridization pattern. However, of the 50 strains that shared the 11 hybridization patterns, 39 could be further differentiated by restriction enzyme analysis. We found that hybridization is a method that is specific for the epidemiological typing of M. catarrhalis, but because of limited sensitivity, combination with small-fragment restriction enzyme analysis may be necessary to better determine the relatedness of strains.
Beaulieu
D
D
Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana 46285-0428.
Scriver
S
S
Bergeron
M G
MG
Low
D E
DE
Parr
T R
TR
Patterson
J E
JE
Matlow
A
A
Roy
P H
PH
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D003237:Connecticut; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D001936:Moraxella catarrhalis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D016870:Neisseriaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013548:Sweden; D013781:Texas; D006113:United Kingdom
D004269:DNA, Bacterial