[Identification and epidemiologic investigation of bacteria by the Riboprinter Microbial Characterization System, the automated ribotyping system].
An automated ribotyping system, RiboPrinter Microbial Characterization System(Qualicon), was evaluated as a typing tool. Strains used in this study is as follows; 40 strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with 40 distinct PFGE patterns, 20 MRSA from two hospital ward with suspicion of outbreaks, 53 strains of Escherichia coli including 43 strains of pathogenic E. coli, and 50 strains of Streptococcus pyogenes including 31 strains from patients with severe streptococcal disease. Typeability was 100%. Excellent result was obtained in identificating E. coli including Enterohemorrhagic E. coli O157, but poor in two species of gram positive cocci. Concerning discriminatory power, the RiboPrinter was generally less sensitive than PFGE in identifying different strains, but good correlation with strain relatedness by PFGE and antigenic classification. RiboPrinter surpassed PFGE at handling, result interpretation, and rapidity, therefore, hierarchical approach with the first pass through the RiboPrinter followed by PFGE as the occasion demands can be very useful to save labor. The RiboPrinter has the potential to be a widely useful tool in molecular epidemiology.
Iinuma
Y
Y
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya 466-8560.
D001331:Automation; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000145:classification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification