Epidemiological links between tuberculosis cases identified twice as efficiently by whole genome sequencing than conventional molecular typing: A population-based study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates sharing identical DNA fingerprint patterns can be epidemiologically linked. However, municipal health services in the Netherlands are able to confirm an epidemiological link in only around 23% of the patients with isolates clustered by the conventional variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) genotyping. This research aims to investigate whether whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a more reliable predictor of epidemiological links between tuberculosis patients than VNTR genotyping.

Methods

VNTR genotyping and WGS were performed in parallel on all Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates received at the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in 2016. Isolates were clustered by VNTR when

SUBMITTER: Jajou R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5884559 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature