LONGITUDINAL-STUDY OF ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS STRAINS ISOLATED FROM CYSTIC-FIBROSIS PATIENTS

The colonization over time of cystic fibrosis patients by Aspergillus fumigatus was investigated using a DNA fingerprinting method, Aspergil lus fumigatus isolates collected sequentially for more than one year f rom six patients with cystic fibrosis were typed by Southern blot hybr idization with a repetitive DNA sequence, Each cystic fibrosis patient harbored several strains of Aspergillus fumigatus that were isolated recurrently over time. Isolates collected from a cystic fibrosis patie nt with aspergilloma displayed the same genotype, suggesting that the infection was due to a single strain. Continuous isolation of the same genotype in another cystic fibrosis patient, however, was not correla ted clinically with an Aspergillus infection.