Validation of random amplified polymorphic DNA assays by ribotyping as tools for epidemiological surveys of Pasteurella from animals.

Two collections of strains of Pasteurella were studied for epidemiological purposes by ribotyping and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assays. These strains were isolated through two different structures of animal productions: cattle and rabbit. Forty strains of P. haemolytica from cattle reared in independent breeding-herds belonged to only 3 ribotypes after digestion with HindIII and PvuII. No further discrimination of these strains was obtained by RAPD assays. All these 40 strains showed more than 90% of similarity. This result was consistent with the hypothesis of a clonal dissemination of these strains in bovine herds, possible favoured by the large use of antibiotics. Forty-one strains of P. multocida were isolated in rabbits flocks belonging to 16 breeders. Six of these were linked by commercial relationships. Twenty-eight out of the 29 strains isolated through this commercial network belonged to only three ribotypes whereas the 12 strains from independant breeders belonged to 9 ribotypes. Results of RAPD assays were in accordance with those of ribotyping and validate the use of RAPD assays for epidemiological studies of Pasteurella strains.