The use of SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of periplasmic proteins to subtype Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyocin type 10/b clinical isolates

The periplasmic protein banding patterns (PPBPs) of thirteen strains of Pse udomonas aeruginosa pyocin type 10/b implicated in two nosocomial outbreaks in the neonatal unit of Rafeidia Hospital, Nablus, Palestine, were examine d. In addition, five strains from sporadic cases from the same unit occurri ng in 1996 and 1997 were also studied. Despite different sources of the str ains, PPBPs generated by PAGE suggested a clonal nature of the strains obta ined during each of the two outbreaks. Although they had very similar PPBPs , the two outbreak clones were not identical. In contrast, sporadic strains of P. aeruginosa pyocin type 10 appeared to be much more heterogeneous tha n those of the two outbreaks. PPBP analysis appeared to be a useful tool th at may be of value for epidemiological purposes.