Comparison of Molecular Methods of Microbial Serotyping

Abstract

Molecular serotyping methods have advantages and disadvantages in terms of different parameters. Since different methods depend on different parameters there is a possibility that one serotype detected by one method maybe missed by another method. So it is very important to use combination of molecular methods for serotyping because it would allow accurate serotyping. The best molecular serotyping method is pyrosequencing. However, advanced molecular methods, especially the sequence-based methods are currently evolving and relatively expensive; it would take some time for it to be widely used. To increase the serotyping capacity of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), more serotype-specific primers should be designed. To increase the reliability of DNA microarray, an internal probe hybridization control (IHC) can be used which would indicate any variability in the hybridization process. Moreover to further decrease the cost of DNA microarray, all fluorescent labelling can be replaced with biotin labelling. Sequencing of more isolates of the same serotype would definitely improve the sequence-based serotyping assays.