[Characterization of Leptospira sp reference strains using the pulsed field gel electrophoresis technique].
BACKGROUND
Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonosis of worldwide distribution, caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. This genus includes pathogenic and saprophytic species, with more than 200 different serovars, thus making it difficult to characterize. The technique of pulsed field gel electrophoresis has been used as a tool to aid in this characterization. The aims of this study were to standardize the PFGE technique, determine the molecular profiles of reference strains used at the National Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis/World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Leptospirosis and create a database with these profiles.


METHODS
Nineteen strains were analyzed by means of PFGE, using the restriction enzyme NotI.


RESULTS
Each strain presented a unique profile that could be considered to be a specific genomic identity, with the exception of the serovars Icterohaemorrhagiae and Copenhageni, whose profiles were indistinguishable.


CONCLUSIONS
It was possible to create a database of molecular profiles, which are being used in the Laboratory for comparing and identifying strains isolated from clinical cases.
Machry
Lívia
L
Laboratório de Referência Nacional para Leptospirose, Centro Colaborador da Organização Mundial da Saúd, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. liviamachry@gmail.com
Ribeiro
Rachel Leite
RL
Vital-Brazil
Juliana Magalhães
JM
Balassiano
Ilana Teruszkin
IT
Oliveira
Ivi Cristina Menezes de
IC
Avelar
Kátia Eliane Santos
KE
Pereira
Martha Maria
MM
D000372:Agglutination Tests; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific / Q000032:analysis; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D012703:Serotyping / Q000379:methods*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; C038565:GCGGCCGC-specific type II deoxyribonucleases