Safeguarding public and animal health
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Molecular epidemiology
VNTR analysis
Recently we have developed variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis for the exotic mycoplasmas M. agalactiae and M. mycoides SC, the cause of CBPP. This method looks at small repetitive regions of DNA and enables us to characterise strains so that we can trace their likely origin. We have also developed other typing techniques such as AFLP and MLST analysis.
The VNTR dendrogram for M. agalactiae (pdf 16kb) demonstrates that ten different genetic types exist across Europe.
Antibiotic susceptibility and resistance mechanisms studies
We carry out MIC studies and monitor for trends in resistance. We are also looking at the genetic changes that cause resistance to common antibiotics. As seen below with two cattle mycoplasma species, there is vast difference in susceptibility to antibiotics between mycoplasmas species.
