Outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis gastroenteritis: investigation by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

Int J Infect Dis. 1998 Jan-Mar;2(3):159-63. doi: 10.1016/s1201-9712(98)90120-5.

Abstract

Objective: Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to investigate an outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by Salmonella enteritidis. The outbreak occurred among university undergraduates who consumed contaminated food.

Method: Molecular typing was done by analyzing DNA band patterns of isolates of S. enteritidis after digestion of chromosomal DNA with infrequently-cutting restriction endonucleases XbaI, AvrII, and SpeI and separation of DNA fragments using PFGE.

Results: Twenty-nine outbreak isolates of S. enteritidis had identical or highly similar PFGE patterns, whereas different PFGE patterns were observed among three epidemiologically unrelated isolates obtained during the same period.

Conclusion: The data obtained confirm the value of PFGE in epidemiologic investigations of outbreaks caused by S. enteritidis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field
  • Food Contamination
  • Food Microbiology
  • Gastroenteritis / epidemiology*
  • Gastroenteritis / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Salmonella Food Poisoning / epidemiology*
  • Salmonella Food Poisoning / microbiology
  • Salmonella enteritidis* / classification
  • Salmonella enteritidis* / genetics
  • Salmonella enteritidis* / isolation & purification
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial