Random amplification of polymorphic DNA based typing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa was isolated from various sources during the course of an epidemic outbreak of bacterial endophthalmitis following an eye camp at Sangli, Maharashtra. 15 distinct isolates were obtained from clinical samples. Typing of the 15 isolates was performed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, pyocin typing and antibiogram. RAPD typing was rapid, labour friendly and could be done within six hours. RAPD analysis produced reproducible electrophoretic band patterns on the basis of which three distinct amplification patterns could be visualised. The conventional typing methods were labour intensive and took about 48 hours. However, the results of RAPD typing, pyocin typing and antibiogram did not correlate with each other. This study suggests that RAPD typing could be an additional rapid typing method for studying the epidemiology of infectious disease outbreaks due to P aeruginosa.