Mycobacterium africanum--review of an important cause of human tuberculosis in West Africa

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 4; no. 9; p. e744
• Main Authors: de Jong, Bouke C, Antonio, Martin, Gagneux, Sebastien
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 28.09.2010; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Africa, Western - epidemiology; Animals; Classification; Genotype & phenotype; Geographical distribution; Geography; Humans; Infectious Diseases/Bacterial Infections; Infectious Diseases/Neglected Tropical Diseases; Infectious Diseases/Respiratory Infections; Infectious Diseases/Tropical and Travel-Associated Diseases; Microbiology; Microbiology/Immunity to Infections; Microbiology/Microbial Evolution and Genomics; Mycobacterium africanum; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - classification; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - genetics; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - pathogenicity; Phylogeny; Prevalence; Review; Tropical diseases; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - microbiology; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - veterinary; Africa, Western; Uganda; West Africa; Geography; Animals; Prevalence; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Humans; Phylogeny; Africa, Western; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000744

Mycobacterium africanum consists of two phylogenetically distinct lineages within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, known as M. africanum West African 1 and M. africanum West African 2. These lineages are restricted to West Africa, where they cause up to half of human pulmonary tuberculosis. In this review we discuss the definition of M. africanum, describe the prevalence and restricted geographical distribution of M. africanum West African 1 and 2, review the occurrence of M. africanum in animals, and summarize the phenotypic differences described thus far between M. africanum and M. tuberculosis sensu stricto.