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The Limitations of Pulsed‐Field Gel Electrophoresis for Analysis of Y ersinia enterocolitica Isolates
Author(s) -
Gilpin B. J.,
Robson B,
Lin S.,
Hudson J. A.,
Weaver L.,
Dufour M.,
Strydom H.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
zoonoses and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1863-2378
pISSN - 1863-1959
DOI - 10.1111/zph.12085
Subject(s) - pulsed field gel electrophoresis , yersinia enterocolitica , yersiniosis , genotyping , biology , typing , outbreak , microbiology and biotechnology , genotype , virology , genetics , enterobacteriaceae , escherichia coli , bacteria , gene
Summary This study describes the analysis of 432 isolates of Y ersinia enterocolitica by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis ( PFGE ). PFGE had a high level of discrimination with biotype 1A isolates (Simpson's Diversity Index 0.997), but with the clinically important biotypes 2, 3 and 4, the discriminatory ability of PFGE was so low as to severely limit its usefulness ( DI <0.6). For biotypes 2, 3 and 4, 79% or more of isolates of each biotype were of just three different PFGE profiles. Because of this, four known outbreaks of yersiniosis would not have been identified by PFGE analysis. However, a previously unrecognized potential outbreak of yersiniosis caused by biotype 4 isolates was identified on the basis of a rare PFGE genotype with spatial and temporal clustering. We conclude that PFGE has a very limited application to the genotyping of Y. enterocolitica biotypes 2, 3 and 4, and inferences based on finding indistinguishable PFGE profiles among cases or between cases and sources need to be substantiated using alternative typing tools, or strong epidemiological evidence.