Table 1

Comparison of suitability of QATED, PCR-RFLP and serotyping for employment of outbreak analysis in the routine diagnostic laboratory

Laboratory parameter

QATED^†

PCR-

Serotyping

RFLP^*

Time to result

24 h

9 h

2 h

Relative cost/isolate

moderate

high

high

Ease of use

simple

complex

average

Repeatability

good

good

good

Requirements for complex equipment

average

high

average

Applicability to routine diagnostic

good

poor

poor¹

laboratory

^†QATED, quantitative antibiogram typing based on Euclidean distance, ^* RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphism; 1. Based on difficulty in obtaining quality antisera

Moore and Goldsmith BMC Microbiology 2001 1:13   doi:10.1186/1471-2180-1-13