Using a commercial DiversiLab semiautomated repetitive sequence-based PCR typing technique for identification of Escherichia coli clone ST131 producing CTX-M-15.

A study was designed to evaluate the ability of the DiversiLab fingerprinting kit, a type of repetitive element PCR (rep-PCR), to identify Escherichia coli clone ST131 producing beta-lactamase CTX-M-15. A set of 53 nonduplicate isolates of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing E. coli underwent rep-PCR, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and multilocus sequence typing. The DiversiLab system successfully identified E. coli clone ST131 producing CTX-M-15 and provides a simple standardized typing protocol for monitoring the spread of this clone.