Genetic variability and molecular typing of Shigella sonnei strains isolated in Canada

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of genomic DNAs from 49 clinical isolates of Shigella sonnei were analyzed by using a modified restriction endonuclease analysis procedure to investigate the genetic variability of this species. After cleavage with the restriction enzyme HaeIII or RsaI, DNA samples were electrophoresed in polyacrylamide gels and the RFLP patterns were visualized by silver staining. The results showed that among 20 strains associated with sporadic cases of infection in three Canadian provinces, 15 distinct RFLP patterns were revealed by HaeIII digestion and 12 distinct patterns were revealed by RsaI digestion. In contrast, the RFLP patterns of individual isolates within six groups of epidemiologically related isolates were identical to each other but distinct from those of unrelated isolates, and these patterns could be used to determine the genetic relationships between isolates associated with separate outbreaks of shigellosis. Our results indicate that the modified restriction endonuclease analysis technique represents a rapid, reproducible, and highly discriminatory method for the molecular typing of this species.