Sequencing-independent method for the differentiation of the main phylogenetic lineages of Pasteurella multocida.

A rapid, easy method involving a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis was developed to differentiate the 2 phylogenetic lineages of Pasteurella multocida. The PCR targeted the 16S ribosomal RNA gene, and the RFLP involved separate digestions with HindIII, EarI, and MlsI. The method was applied to 16 isolates of P. multocida from different hosts and the isolates were clearly assigned to 1 of the 2 lineages. The phylogenetic lineages did not match with the phenotypic-based identification at the subspecies level.