MOLECULAR TYPING OF METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS BY POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION - DISTRIBUTION OF THE TYPED STRAINS IN HOSPITALS

Three methods for molecular typing of methicillin-resistant Staphyloco ccus aureus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were compared, The m ethod which amplified the variable number of tandem repeat of dru sequ ences grouped the isolates into six types, Whereas, the method examini ng restriction fragment length polymorphism of coagulase gene and the method using arbitrarily primed-PCR showed poor diversity in typing, W e investigated the distribution of dru types in two hospitals, Obvious concentration of a type in one ward was not recognized in our hospita l, In the other hospital, a rare type was detected from the inpatients in the pediatrics ward, It suggested that the infection was an epidem ic, We also found that some patients were infected with more than two strains, Even if two isolates show the same type, it does not necessar ily mean that they originated from one clone. However, this method bri ngs meaningful information on nosocomial infection, more easily than o ther genotyping.