Spacer oligonucleotide typing of bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: recommendations for standardised nomenclature.

Spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) is widely used for differentiation of bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. However, the absence of any standardised method for concise description of spoligotypes makes it difficult to compare the results from different laboratories. This paper describes unambiguous, interconvertible systems for the designation of spoligotype patterns, the adoption of which will be beneficial to mycobacterial research.