European-wide distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa clone C.

A collection of 77 epidemiologically unrelated Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates was screened for the occurrence of clone C isolates by the appearance of characteristic SpeI fragment patterns obtained by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Three strains with a clone C characteristic SpeI fragment pattern were found which also harbored the clone C-specific plasmid either in the free form or chromosomally integrated. Genomic islands were detected in the new clone C strains, as in already characterized clone C strains. Clone C not only infected cystic fibrosis patients throughout Europe, but was also found in the UK as an isolate in urinary tract infections and in peritoneal dialysis fluid, in addition to an otitis media isolate. Therefore, P. aeruginosa clone C is widely distributed in Europe, with a broad pathogenic potential.