Tuberculosis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Tuberculosis, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, pulmonary, mycobacterium.

Origins and properties of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in London.

Dale JW, Bothamley GH, Drobniewski F, Gillespie SH, McHugh TD, Pitman R

School of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK. j.dale@surrey.ac.uk

Using similarities of IS6110 banding patterns, isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a population-based study in London were assigned to 12 large groups termed 'superfamilies' (sfams). Analysis of patient data showed a marked geographical association in the distribution of these sfams. In particular, isolates from patients born in Europe were from different sfams than those born elsewhere, indicating that there had been relatively little transmission of tuberculosis in London from immigrant communities into the endogenous population. Multivariate analysis showed that certain sfams were significantly associated with pulmonary rather than extrapulmonary disease, or with sputum smear negativity, independently of country of birth or ethnicity, suggesting that the properties of the infecting organism play a role in the nature of the disease process.

Published 12 May 2005 in J Med Microbiol, 54: 575-82.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Tuberculosis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.