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Ribotyping of Staphylococcus aureus: an assessment using well-defined strains
J F Richardson1, P Aparicio, R R Marples
1Laboratory of Hospital Infection, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, UK.
Epidemiology and Infection
|February 1, 1994
Summary
Ribotyping can differentiate Staphylococcus aureus strains by phage group but not by specific phage type. This method may complement, but not replace, phage typing for epidemiological studies.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Typing
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Staphylococcus aureus is a significant human pathogen.
- Accurate strain typing is crucial for epidemiological investigations.
- Phage typing is a standard method for S. aureus characterization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the discriminatory power of ribotyping for Staphylococcus aureus.
- To compare ribotyping with traditional phage typing.
Main Methods:
- Ribotyping was performed using homologous or heterologous (Escherichia coli) ribosomal RNA (rRNA).
- The study utilized the international set of phage-propagating strains of S. aureus of human origin.
Main Results:
- Ribotyping successfully distinguished between S. aureus strains belonging to different phage groups.
- Ribotyping failed to differentiate between seven strains within phage group III that had different phage types.
Conclusions:
- Ribotyping demonstrates utility in differentiating S. aureus at the phage group level.
- Ribotyping is unlikely to supersede phage typing as the primary epidemiological tool for S. aureus.
- Ribotyping may serve as a valuable adjunct to phage typing in S. aureus research.