Molecular Strain Typing of Clinical Isolates, using Non Transcribed Spacer (NTS) Region as a Molecular Marker.

INTRODUCTION

Dermatophytes are a group of fungi which infect keratinized tissues and causes superficial mycoses in humans and animals. The group comprises of three major genera, , and . Among them is a predominant anthropophilic fungi which causes chronic infections. Although, the infection is superficial and treatable, reinfection/coinfection causes inflation in the treatment cost. Identifying the source and mode of transmission is essential to prevent its transmission. Accurate discrimination is required to understand the clinical (relapse or reinfection) and epidemiological implications of the genetic heterogeneity of this species. Polymorphism in the Non Transcribed Spacer (NTS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) clusters renders an effective way to discriminate strains among .

AIM

To carry out the strain typing of the clinical isolates, using NTS as a molecular marker.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seventy clinical isolates obtained from April-2011-March 2013, from Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, were identified by conventional phenotypic methods and included in this prospective study. The isolates were then subjected to Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) targeting two subrepeat elements (SREs), TRS-1 and TRS-2 of the NTS region.

RESULTS

Strain-specific polymorphism was observed in both subrepeat loci. Total, nine different strains were obtained on combining both TRS-1 and TRS-2, SREs.

CONCLUSION

The outcome has given a strong representation for using NTS region amplification in discriminating the clinical isolates. The method can be adapted as a tool for conducting epidemiology and population based study in infections. This will help in future exploration of the epidemiology of .