A paper in the May/June 2010 issue of the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL describes some of the commonly used molecular typing methods for E. coli, a facultative anaerobe that is found in the intestinal tract of mammals. Certain strains cause diarrhea and are responsible for millions of deaths worldwide annually. The paper emphasizes that there are many levels at which E. coli can be studied: strains, sequence types, clonal complexes, and phylo-groups. Author David Gordon, Australian National University, contends that a hierarchical approach to strain characterization will reveal patterns that are not obvious when differentiating isolates.

The paper is included in the May/June 2010 issue of the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. For additional information on subscribing to the Journal or to purchase the article, contact Customer Service at CustomerService@aoac.org or Tel: +1-301-924-7077 ext. 170, or visit http://www.aoac.org/pubs/jaoac.htm.

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