MOLECULAR NOSOCOMIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY - HIGH-SPEED TYPING OF MICROBIAL PATHOGENS BY ARBITRARY PRIMED POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION ASSAYS

Arbitrary primed polymerase chain reaction (AP PCR) assays are suited for the discrimination of isolates of all clinically relevant bacteria l species. In a hospital setting, this type of DNA amplification test can be used for the timely detection of ongoing nosocomial outbreaks. For rapid screening of isolates of many medically important bacterial species, including Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, Ser ratia marcescens, Xanthomonas maltophilia and others, a single AP PCB assay can be used as a primary typ ing screen for genetic relatedness. In combination with epidemiological data, AP PCR testing is particula rly useful for identifying true outbreaks caused by a single strain (I nfect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1995;16:658-666).