RAPD-PCR characterization of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains obtained from cystic fibrosis patients
Ortiz-Herrera, M.; Gerónimo-Gallegos, A.; Cuevas-Schacht, F.; Pérez-Fernández, L.; Coria-Jiménez, R.
Salud Publica de Mexico 46(2): 149-157
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0036-3634 PMID: 15176577 Document Number: 570676
Objective. To characterize P aeruginosa strains isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients over a 3 year period. Material and Methods. A prospective follow-up study was carried out in a population of cystic fibrosis patients. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique was used to amplify DNA of P aeruginosa strains isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples of five CIF patients from the Servicio de Neumologia y Cirugia del Torax del Instituto Nacional de Pediatria (Mexico City Chest Clinic of the National Pediatrics Institute) in Mexico City, between June 1996 and June 2002. Amplification patterns were established for each isolate to accurately identify all strains and to carry out an epidemiological analysis of P aeruginoso among the selected CIF patients. Results. Eighteen different DNA amplification patterns were defined and used to identify each P aeruginosa strain isolated from the different bronchoalveolar lavage samples. No correlation was observed between the different P aeruginosa strain genotypes and mucoid or nonmucoid phenotypes, as strains with different phenotypes showed similar amplification patterns. Several strains with different amplification patterns were identified in samples obtained from the same patient, suggesting coinfection with more than one P aeruginosa strain. Two siblings with CF shared similar genotypes, suggesting the occurrence of cross-contamination. Similar genotypes of P aeruginoso strains were isolated throughout the study period. Conclusion. Genotypic characterization of P aeruginoso strains in CF patients allows more accurate epidemiological analyses of this important host-agent relationship. The English version of this paper is available at: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.