Genetic relatedness analysis of Nocardia strains by random amplification polymorphic DNA: validation and applications

Until now, no simple and rapid technique existed for epidemiological study of strains belonging to the Nocardia genus. The application of the arbitrar ily primed PCR procedure to generate randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RA PD) fingerprints for such analysis of Nocardia isolates was investigated. F ifty-one unrelated clinical isolates of N. asteroides were tested. Two cond itions of RAPD using two different primers generated RAPD fingerprints that allowed the differentiation of all strains. The patterns were reproducible and discriminating. The results highlight the diversity of N. asteroides s pecies and confirm that RAPD analysis is a highly valuable tool for studyin g the epidemiology of the Nocardia genus. Several examples describe the adv antage of RAPD analysis for establishing the relationship between isolates from a given patient (long-term infections, coinfections) and from differen t patients (i.e. during an outbreak). In the future, this technique will he lp us to investigate the source of infection in cases of nosocomial transmi ssion, to understand the outcome of nocardiosis, and to follow the evolutio n and acquisition of resistance to Nocardia strains. (C) 2000 Editions scie ntifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.