WHOLE-CELL REPETITIVE ELEMENT SEQUENCE-BASED POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION ALLOWS RAPID ASSESSMENT OF CLONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES

Repetitive element sequence-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) enables the generation of DNA fingerprints which discriminate bacteria l species and strains. We describe the application of whole-cell metho ds which allow specimens from broth cultures or colonies from agar pla tes to be utilized directly in the PCR mixture. The rep-PCR-generated DNA fingerprints obtained with whole-cell samples match results obtain ed with genomic DNA templates. Examples with different gram-negative b acteria (e.g., Citrobacter diversus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus a nd Streptococcus pneumoniae) are demonstrated. Rapid specimen preparat ion methods enable rep-PCR-based fingerprinting to be completed in sev eral hours and, therefore, allows the timely analysis of epidemiologic al relationships.