Genetic similarity among one Aspergillus flavus strain isolated from a patient who underwent heart surgery and two environmental strains obtained from the operating room.
We report the simultaneous isolation of one Aspergillus flavus strain from the aortic prosthesis of a heart surgery patient and another two isolates recovered from a dual-reservoir cooler-heater used in the operating room where this patient was operated on. Genetic typing of these three isolates by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) revealed identical genotypes. Eight unrelated control strains of A. flavus had eight different genotypes. These results clearly indicated the nosocomial origin of the A. flavus strain isolated from the patient. We suggest that the RAPD technique is a rapid and reliable tool to ascertain the epidemiology of infections caused by A. flavus.
Diaz-Guerra
T M
TM
Servicio de Micología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, Madrid.
Mellado
E
E
Cuenca-Estrella
M
M
Gaztelurrutia
L
L
Navarro
J I
JI
Tudela
J L
JL
D001011:Aorta; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D003428:Cross Infection; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009873:Operating Rooms