Comparative performance of SNP typing and 'Bruce-ladder' in the discrimination of Brucella suis and Brucella canis

Two novel molecular assays, 'Bruce-ladder' and SNP typing, have recently been described designed to differentiate isolates of the genus Brucella, causative organisms of the significant zoonotic disease brucellosis, at the species level. Differentiation of Brucella canis from Brucella suis by molecular approaches can be difficult and here we compare the performance of 'Bruce-ladder' and SNP typing in correctly identifying B. canis isolates. Both assays proved easy to perform but while 'Bruce-ladder' misidentifies a substantial proportion of B. canis isolates as B. suis, all B. canis isolates were correctly identified by SNP typing.