Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of Salmonella enterica

Abstract

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is considered a “gold standard” for the molecular characterization of a number of bacterial strains. Its strength relies on its high discriminatory power, together with its high reproducibility. For many years, an international network, PulseNet International, allows the rapid comparison of PFGE data obtained all over the world, and it provides a valuable tool to promptly recognize the epidemiological dynamics of many pathogens, including Salmonella enterica . Here we describe the laboratory procedure to perform the standardized protocol for the PFGE typing of S. enterica strains.