Identification of actinomyces, propionibacteria, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria by amplified 16S rDNA restriction analysis

Amplified 16S rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) with HaeIII and HpaII was a pplied to 37 reference strains, 179 human clinical and four veterinary isol ates of Propionibacterium, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and some other anaerobic, non-sporing, Gram-positive bacilli. Results were compared with those obtained by ARDRA for reference strains (26) and clinical isolates (4 69) of Actinomyces spp. Reference strains were clearly differentiated to sp ecies level. Clinical isolates of Propionibacterium and Lactobacillus were identified with confidence to species level. Bifidobacterium spp. were iden tified in ARDRA with confidence to genus, but anomalies in species level id entification of some reference strains and clinical isolates may reflect un reliable identification in conventional tests. Isolates of Arcanobacterium spp., Actinobaculum schaalii, Eggerthella lenta, some Eubacterium spp., Gar dnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus spp., Atopobium vaginae, Abiotrophia defecti va, Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus intermedius and Clostridium sp. wer e clearly differentiated in ARDRA. ARDRA is a simple, rapid, and highly dis criminatory method for identification of anaerobic, non-sporing, Gram-posit ive bacilli. (C) 2001 Academic Press.