Usefulness of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Molecular Typing in a Tuberculosis Low-Endemic Agro-Industrial Setting of Brazil
Malaspina, Ana Carolina, Cavalcanti, Hebe Rodrigues, Leite, Clarice Queico Fujimaro, Machado, Silvia Maria Almeida, Viana, Brunilde Helena Jung, Silva, Rosangela Maria Gaspareto, Hage, Eduardo Ferraz, Figueiredo, Walter Machado, Marques, Elisabeth, Ferrazoli, Lucilaine, Arbex, Marcos, Lessi, Marcio, Fonseca, Leila S., Rigouts, Leen and Saad, Maria Helena Féres
SUMMARY:
To highlight the transmission and major phylogenetic clades of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a retrospective study was carried out at two health facilities in a small agro-industrial area in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that has a low tuberculosis incidence rate. IS6110-RFLP and spoligotyping were performed on the isolates, with the former revealing that 31.3% (35/112) of strains were clustered. Epidemiological links were found in 16 of the 35 clustered patients and were associated with transmission among patients living in public housing. Spoligotyping grouped 62.8% of the strains. The T genetic family predominated among the isolates. Of interest is that five strains had a pattern characteristic of African or Asian origin (ST535), and two others were of the rare localized type ST1888 (BRA, VEN). In addition, three new types–1889, 1890, and 1891–were identified. Spoligotyping showed that some ST may be circulating to or from Brazil, and RFLP revealed ongoing transmission in inadequately ventilated public-housing buildings. This may point to a failure in tuberculosis control policy.
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