Fingerprinting Acinetobacter strains from clinical sources by numerical analysis of electrophoretic protein patterns.

A total of 57 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus was fingerprinted by SDS-PAGE of cellular protein. All strains were also examined by conventional, API and N/F-Tek methods, and antibiotic sensitivity patterns were determined. In general, using the API 20E and N/F-Tek methods, it was possible to assign isolates of A. calcoaceticus to the two accepted "biotypes" or "varieties", A.c. anitratus and A.c. lwoffi, but these methods did not offer useful subdivision of the biotypes. Gel electrophoresis permitted subdivision of the strains into clusters in a manner which suggests that the technique may be valuable in typing strains isolated during outbreaks of infection in hospital.