Bacterial typing methods from past to present: A comprehensive overview

Microbial typing (also known as "fingerprinting" or "characterization") is a tool employed for years to identify organisms within a species. Different methods were developed, from the traditional phenotypic techniques such as biotyping and antibiogram typing, going through the PCR-based molecular methods, reaching the revolutionary sequencing techniques. Each method has its advantages and drawbacks, but genotypic methods are more reliable and reproducible, with greater discriminatory power than the phenotypic ones. Typing aims to serve various epidemiological, microbiological, and public health investigations. Choosing which method to use typically relies on many circumstances and factors, such as the study's cost, scale, and scope. This review collectively explains the principles of the various bacterial typing methods that have been commonly used throughout the years.