Received: December 4, 2007.

Accepted: August 20, 2008.

Abstract published online: September 1, 2008.

Full paper published online: November 30, 2008.

ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN Klebsiella pneumoniae AND Klebsiella oxytoca SAMPLES ISOLATED FROM A DENTAL OFFICE

PIMENTA-RODRIGUES MV (1, 4), FUSCO-ALMEIDA AM (2), BERTONI BW (1), PIETRO RCLR (2, 3)

(1) Unit of Medicinal Plant and Microorganism Biotechnology, Ribeirão Preto University, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil; (2) Pharmaceutical Sciences Course, Ribeirão Preto University, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil; (3) School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil; (4) Department of Tropical Diseases, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil.

ABSTRACT: The present study aimed to analyze the genetic similarity between genomic profiles of thirteen Klebsiella oxytoca and seven Klebsiella pneumoniae samples isolated from two different collections carried out in different places of dental offices. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique and similarity coefficients (calculated by Sorensen-Dice and simple matching) were applied to determine their genetic profile of randomic DNA sequences. The majority of the isolates of K. pneumoniae and K. oxytoca presented similar coefficient values ( 0.80). Thus, it was possible to identify that strain dissemination occurred mainly via the hands of the surgeon-dentists and, finally, to determine the genetic similarity of the strains from dental office environments.

KEY WORDS: Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, RAPD, dental office.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: There is no conflict.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ROSEMEIRE CRISTINA LINHARI RODRIGUES PIETRO, Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Araraquara, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, 14801-902, Brasil. Phone: +55 16 3301 6965. Fax: +55 16 3301 6960. Email: pietrorc@fcfar.unesp.br.