The limitations of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for analysis of Yersinia enterocolitica isolates.
This study describes the analysis of 432 isolates of Yersinia enterocolitica by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE had a high level of discrimination with biotype 1A isolates (Simpson's Diversity Index 0.997), but with the clinically important biotypes 2, 3 and 4, the discriminatory ability of PFGE was so low as to severely limit its usefulness (DI <0.6). For biotypes 2, 3 and 4, 79% or more of isolates of each biotype were of just three different PFGE profiles. Because of this, four known outbreaks of yersiniosis would not have been identified by PFGE analysis. However, a previously unrecognized potential outbreak of yersiniosis caused by biotype 4 isolates was identified on the basis of a rare PFGE genotype with spatial and temporal clustering. We conclude that PFGE has a very limited application to the genotyping of Y. enterocolitica biotypes 2, 3 and 4, and inferences based on finding indistinguishable PFGE profiles among cases or between cases and sources need to be substantiated using alternative typing tools, or strong epidemiological evidence.
Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Christchurch Science Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand.
B J
BJ
Gilpin
B
B
Robson
S
S
Lin
J A
JA
Hudson
L
L
Weaver
M
M
Dufour
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Strydom
D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D015009:Yersinia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015008:Yersinia enterocolitica / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial
Biotype; New Zealand; Yersinia enterocolitica; limitations; pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)