An outbreak of E.coli 0157:H7 was suspected to be associated with the petting zoo enclosure at the state fair. Epidemiologists with the CDC created a DNA fingerprint from the E.coli isolated from patients and compared it to bacterial isolates analyzed by national laboratories. They confirmed that the organism was indeed being transmitted by the animals at the fair. The CDC uses what method to generate these fingerprints?

Question

An outbreak of E.coli 0157:H7 was suspected to be associated with the petting zoo enclosure at the state fair.  Epidemiologists with the CDC created a DNA fingerprint from the E.coli isolated from patients and compared it to bacterial isolates analyzed by national laboratories.  They confirmed that the organism was indeed being transmitted by the animals at the fair.  The CDC uses what method to generate these fingerprints?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The method used by CDC to generate DNA fingerprints for E.coli isolates is Pulse-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE is a widely used molecular typing method that separates DNA fragments based on their size by applying a pulsating electric field to a gel matrix. The resulting banding pattern of DNA fragments allows for comparing bacterial isolates and identifying genetic relatedness.

An Outbreak of E