USE OF DNA-FINGERPRINTING FOR ACCURATE TYPING OF ACTINOBACILLUS-PLEUROPNEUMONIAE

DNA fingerprinting was tested as a method for detailed differentiation of 23 strains of the causal agent of porcine pleuropneumonia - Actino bacillus pleuropneumoniae. The set consisted of twelve reference strai ns, each representing one serotype, and eleven field strains belonging to serotype 9 which occurs most frequently in the Czech Republic. Nin e of the reference strains could be differentiated from each other and from serotypes 1, 9 and 11, but a very close relatedness was demonstr ated among the latter three by repeated examinations. Four DNA types w ere identified among the twelve serotype 9 strains. The findings are d iscussed within the context of the production and efficiency of indust rial and autogenous vaccines.