Homogeneity of Danish environmental and clinical isolates of Shewanella algae

Danish isolates of Shewanella algae constituted by whole-cell protein profi ling a very homogeneous group, and no clear distinction was seen between st rains from the marine environment and strains of clinical origin. Although variation between all strains was observed by ribotyping and random amplifi ed polymorphic DNA analysis, no clonal relationship between infective strai ns was found. From several patients, clonally identical strains of S. algae were reisolated up to 8 months after the primary isolation, indicating tha t the same strain may be able to maintain the infection.