[Genetic fingerprinting (PFGE) of bacterial isolates for their molecular epidemiology]

The determination of fragment patterns of bacterial genomic DNA after digestion with long-range-cutting restriction enzymes and their separation in pulsed-field-gelelectrophoresis is currently regarded as reliable fingerprinting tool for surveillance and identification of infectious sources and routes of bacterial pathogens. The PFGE based molecular fingerprinting has been applied and used for a broad range of bacterial species. As a prerequisite for its application in national and international network studies (German PulseNet, PulseNet USA, Salmgene) a common protocol for rapid production (1-2 days) of standardised and electronically readable fragment patterns has been developed. National and international outbreaks, diffuse outbreaks and long term surveillance of the ups and downs of pathogens have been successfully carried out by means of PFGE studies. The international outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Oranienburg (2001) due to contaminated chocolate is described here underlining the usefulness of PFGE as genetic fingerprinting for epidemiological purposes.