Usefulness of genetic typing methods to trace epidemiologically Salmonella serotype Ohio

Different genetic typing procedures were applied in an epidemiological study of Salmonella serotype Ohio. Isolates that generated identical DNA fingerprints (HinclI ribotypes, ERIC and RAPD profiles) were clustered into the same lineage, and the addition of data from plasmid, integron and resistance profiles was used to differentiate types. Results led to the determination of the endemic and the emergent epidemic types at specific times, and to ascertain the clinical and epidemiological impact of each type. In the series analysed (47 clinical isolates and 3 non-clinical isolates) 11 lineages and 32 types were found. Two lineages were considered prevalent and endemic, and during an epidemiological alert (Spain, 1998) a re-emergence and spread of organisms mainly from the most frequent lineage had occurred. The combination of H-ribotype with ERIC profile, as primary markers, and resistance profile with plasmid profile, as secondary markers, was shown to be the most useful tool to trace epidemiologically Ohio.