Standardized molecular typing of Candida albicans strains

Abstract
A method is presented for the standardization of Candida albicans DNA fingerprinting, which is based on Southern hybridization of EcoRI-digested chromosomal DNA with the moderately repetitive DNA element CARE-2 and the subsequent rehybridization of the blots with a molecular size marker also included in each DNA sample. This method resulted in extremely precise alignment of all strain-specific CARE-2 hybridization patterns, even when analysed on different gels, and will enhance the accuracy of genetic relationship determinations in epidemiological studies including large numbers of strains.