Abstract
A microsatellite assay based on short tandem repeats (STR Af) has been recently described as a discriminatory, high throughput assay for fingerprinting Aspergillus fumigatus isolates. However, the STR Af assay has not been tested for its utility in outbreak settings where it is critical to distinguish clonal clusters from genetically unrelated genotypes. In the present study, employing a panel of epidemiologically linked A. fumigatus isolates obtained from 6 different outbreaks of invasive aspergillosis (IA), we demonstrate that the STR Af assay can be a valuable molecular tool to support epidemiological investigations. We also report for the first time the detection of microvariation events in the A. fumigatus population studied.
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 call
