Abstract
Nosocomial infections among infants in neonatal intensive care units are an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality. Efforts to rapidly detect, contain and ultimately prevent cross-transmission of these pathogens require constant vigilance by members of the epidemiology team. A vital component of an epidemiological evaluation is the ability to assess the interrelatedness of clinical isolates. This review focuses on the basic principles, strengths and weaknesses of some of the most commonly used molecular-based procedures, which determine clonal identity of outbreak strains in neonatal settings. Published evidence for the cogent selection of the method best suited for studying a particular organism and technological advances that await the new science of Molecular Epidemiology are also presented. The appropriate use of molecular typing technologies should enable reliable tracking of epidemic clones and thereby enhance the effectiveness of infection control strategies.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
