An improved protocol for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing of Clostridium difficile.
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is the 'gold standard' technique for bacterial typing and has proved to be discriminatory and reproducible for typing Clostridium difficile. Nevertheless, a high proportion of strains are non-typable by this technique due to the degradation of the DNA during the process. The introduction of several modifications in the PFGE standard procedure increased typability from 40% (90 isolates) to 100% (220 isolates) while maintaining the high degree of discrimination and reproducibility of the technique.
Alonso
R
R
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Martín
A
A
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Peláez
T
T
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Marín
M
M
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Rodríguez-Creixéms
M
M
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
Bouza
E
E
Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Hospital General Universitario ''Gregorio Marañón'', C/Doctor Esquerdo, 46, 28007 Madrid, Spain.
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D004269:DNA, Bacterial