OBJECTIVETo analyses the genetic diversity and relationship of Salmonella typhi strains isolated from different years and districts in Guizhou province.

METHODSRibotyping with 16s rDNA probe was used to describe the diversity of the 209 strains which were isolated in 26 counties of Guizhou province, from 1959 to 1999. The antibiotics resistance was also studied.

RESULTSTwenty-six ribotypes were found in all 209 strains, with two dominant types. The strains isolated from local typhoid epidemics belonged to the unique Ribotypes. The major ribotypes of the resistant strains were RT7 and RT1.

CONCLUSIONThe Salmonella typhi isolates from Guizhou diverged obviously. The abundant clones and multi-resistance of the strains might serve the major reasons of the high morbidity of typhoid in Guizhou.

Blotting, Southern ; China ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal ; genetics ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ; genetics ; Ribotyping ; Salmonella typhi ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification