Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the typing performance of DiversiLab system (DVL) for Salmonella. Method: A DVL system, which is based on rep-PCR, was used to type 44 Salmonella isolates from exported and imported foods and compared with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The Salmonella isolates were typed by rep-PCR into 22 groups. The same serotypes of Salmonella isolates from different countries and foods were distributed in the same group with a high similarity. The PFGE results obtained for Salmonella isolates assigned to the same group using rep-PCR indicated a low similarity among all other isolates except No. 2 and No. 15. Conclusion: DVL shows better typing ability but lower resolution for Salmonella than PFGE.

Key words: Salmonella, DiversiLab system, rep-PCR, PFGE, molecular typing