Inferring patient to patient transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from whole genome sequencing data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is characterised by limited genomic diversity, which makes the application of whole genome sequencing particularly attractive for clinical and epidemiological investigation. However, in order to confidently infer transmission events, an accurate knowledge of the rate of change in the genome over relevant timescales is required.

Methods

We attempted to estimate a molecular clock by sequencing 199 isolates from epidemiologically linked tuberculosis cases, collected in the Netherlands spanning almost 16 years.

Results

Multiple analyses support an average mutation rate of ~0.3 SNPs per genome per year. However, all analyses revealed a very high degree of variation around this mean, making the confirmation of links proposed by epidemio

SUBMITTER: Bryant JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3599118 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature