MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MYCOBACTERIUM-BOVIS ISOLATES FROM SOUTH-AMERICA

One hundred seventy-eight isolates of Mycobacterium bovis were subject ed to DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, us ing the direct repeat element (DR) and the polymorphic CC-rich repeat sequence (PGRS) as probes. By combining the patterns generated by the two repeat DNA elements, 93 different patterns were observed. One hund red-one isolates were grouped in clusters, which include 25 different clusters. One pattern was the most frequently observed, clustering 18. 5% of isolates. It was only found in the Center and northeast regions of Argentina and in one isolate from Paraguay. The isolates from Brazi l analyzed here presented exclusive patterns (only found in a particul ar region). The number of exclusive patterns was high in all Argentine regions: northeast 78%, center 81%, and Buenos Aires 81%. (C) 1998 El sevier Science B.V.