RESUMO
Objective To establish the rep-PCR DNA fingerprinting technique for typing K. pneumoniae strains and apply it in the epidemiological investigation.Methods The 39 strains of K. pneumoniae were typed by plasmid profile analysis, then their chromosomal DNA were extracted and purified by NaI-lyses-glass-powder absorption method for rep-PCR. Results Different strains of K.pneumoniae showed different rep-PCR fingerprint patterns. Phylogenetic analysis showed that they could be classified into six types, mainly type 1, type 2, and type 3. Otherwise, plasmid profile analysis suggested that there were four types; mainly type 1 which contained only one plasmid.Conclusions (1) Rep-PCR DNA fingerprinting technique developed in this study is enough for epidemiological studies with its high typeability, strong discrimination, simplicity and rapidness. (2) There were three predominant K. pneumoniae transmitted between patients in Taihe Hospital during the last two years, and there might be serious cross-infection among different types.