Genetic relationships among strains of Salmonella enteritidis in a national epidemic in Switzerland.

A collection of Salmonella enteritidis strains isolated in Switzerland (1965-90) was characterized. The phage type and plasmid profile of isolates were compared with the copy number and insertion loci of the DNA insertion element IS200. Three clonal lines of S. enteritidis were identified by IS200 profile; the various phage types were subtypes reproducibly associated with one of these lines. All human and poultry isolates contained a 38 Mda plasmid which hybridized with a mouse virulence-associated gene probe. In S. enteritidis, the IS200 profile is a race-specific molecular marker of the chromosome, and may be particularly applicable for studying the epidemiology of less common serovars.