RAPD ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL, FOOD AND CLINICAL ISOLATES OF CAMPYLOBACTER SPP

The typing of Campylobacter is relatively poorly developed compared to that of the Enterobacteriaceae, and new molecular methods may provide useful approaches. The polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify randomly primed genomic DNA from Campylobacter isolates with an optimi sed randomly amplified polymorphic DNA protocol. Groups of isolates we re analysed from chicken house environmental sources, chicken joints f rom retail sources, patients suffering from clinical disease and labor atory culture collections, Amplicons were separated by agarose gel ele ctrophoresis, stained with ethidium bromide, and banding patterns capt ured in a digital form for computer analysis with GelCompar software. The method gave 100% typability and reproducibility for the isolates i nvestigated and proved a useful technique for the epidemiological anal ysis of Campylobacter. Computer-based analysis of the randomly amplifi ed polymorphic DNA generated profiles allowed relationships between is olates to be studied at the molecular level resulting in some indicati on of molecular correlates of the origins of isolates.