Single nucleotide polymorphisms typing of Mycobacterium leprae reveals focal transmission of leprosy in high endemic regions of India

• Published in: Clinical microbiology and infection Vol. 19; no. 11; pp. 1058 - 1062
• Main Authors: Lavania, M., Jadhav, R.S., Turankar, R.P., Chaitanya, V.S., Singh, M., Sengupta, U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2013; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Clinical isolates; Delhi; Endemic Diseases; Genotype; Humans; India - epidemiology; Leprosy - epidemiology; Leprosy - microbiology; Leprosy - transmission; Molecular Epidemiology; Molecular Typing; Mycobacterium leprae; Mycobacterium leprae - classification; Mycobacterium leprae - genetics; Mycobacterium leprae - isolation & purification; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Purulia; single-nucleotide polymorphisms; transmission; India; Delhi; Purulia; Mycobacterium leprae; transmission; single-nucleotide polymorphisms
• ISSN: 1198-743X; 1469-0691; 1469-0691
• DOI: 10.1111/1469-0691.12125

Earlier studies indicate that genotyping of Mycobaterium leprae based on single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is useful for analysis of the global spread of leprosy. In the present study, we investigated the diversity of M. leprae at eight SNP loci using 180 clinical isolates obtained from patients with leprosy residing mainly in Delhi and Purulia (West Bengal) regions. It was observed that the frequency of SNP type 1 and subtype D was most predominant in the Indian population. Further, the SNP type 2 subtype E was noted only from East Delhi region and SNP type 2 subtype G was noted only from the nearby areas of Hoogly district of West Bengal. These results indicate the occurrence of focal transmission of M. leprae infection and demonstrate that analysis by SNP typing has great potential to help researchers in understanding the transmission of M. leprae infection in the community.