Differentiation between Isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus from Breeding Turkeys and Their Environment by Genotyping with Microsatellite Markers

To elucidate the epidemiology of the different forms of avian aspergillosis, 114 Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from sacrificed turkeys and 134 A. fumigatus isolates from air samples were collected and genotyped by microsatellite polymorphism marker analysis. Air sampling confirmed the huge diversity of A. fumigatus populations. Whereas older animals harbored several combinations of genotypes, 1-day-old chicks carried a unique genotype, suggesting a unique source of contamination.