DNA-Based Typing of Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Human and Animal Diseases

The main objective of the project is to identify strains of Staphylococcus aureus which produce specific types of infections in humans and animals, especially those that demonstrate a propensity to colonize certain organs and tissues. The specific objectives are 1) determine the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and ribotype chromosome fragment patterns of S. aureus isolates taken from patients with septicemia and a specified type and primary site of infection, 2) determine the PFGE and ribotype chromosome fragment patterns of S. aureus isolates taken from dairy cows and goats with mastitis, 3) identify S. aureus ecovar-specific chromosome fragments for the purpose of distinguishing human, bovine, and goat strains from each other, and use this information to assess transfer between host species, and 4)determine the persistence of S. aureus strains causing mastitis within infected dairy herds and their movement between herds.