title: Molecular fingerprinting of Mycobacterium abscessus strains in a cohort of pediatric cystic fibrosis patients.
abstract: Forty-one Mycobacterium abscessus complex isolates from 17 pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) patients were typed using a novel variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) scheme and an automated repetitive-PCR (rep-PCR) system. Both VNTR and rep-PCR typing methods differentiate between members of the M. abscessus complex. The isolates from individual patients are indistinguishable, and the data strongly suggest that individual CF patients are persistently infected with one strain and also suggests that different CF patients can harbor the same strain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. kathryn.harris@gosh.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Kathryn A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Dervla T D
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kenna
authors.forename: Cornelis
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Blauwendraat
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Hartley
authors.forename: Jane F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Turton
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aurora
authors.forename: Garth L J
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Dixon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods