Universal genotyping in tuberculosis control program, New York City, 2001-2003

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 12; no. 5; pp. 719 - 724
• Main Authors: Clark, Carla M, Driver, Cynthia R, Munsiff, Sonal S, Driscoll, Jeffrey R, Kreiswirth, Barry N, Zhao, Benyang, Ebrahimzadeh, Adeleh, Salfinger, Max, Piatek, Amy S, Abdelwahab, Jalaa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.05.2006; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Bacterial Typing Techniques; Cluster Analysis; Cross Infection - prevention & control; epidemiology; False Positive Reactions; Genotype; Genotyping; Humans; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - classification; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - genetics; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification; New York; New York City - epidemiology; perspective; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Prevention; transmission; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - epidemiology; Tuberculosis - microbiology; Tuberculosis - prevention & control; Tuberculosis - transmission; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - microbiology; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant - prevention & control; New York City; New York
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid1205.050446

In 2001, New York City implemented genotyping to its tuberculosis (TB) control activities by using IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and spoligotyping to type isolates from culture-positive TB patients. Results are used to identify previously unknown links among genotypically clustered patients, unidentified sites of transmission, and potential false-positive cultures. From 2001 to 2003, spoligotype and IS6110-based RFLP results were obtained for 90.7% of eligible and 93.7% of submitted isolates. Fifty-nine (2.4%) of 2,437 patient isolates had false-positive culture results, and 205 genotype clusters were identified, with 2-81 cases per cluster. Cluster investigations yielded 57 additional links and 17 additional sites of transmission. Four additional TB cases were identified as a result of case finding initiated through cluster investigations. Length of unnecessary treatment decreased among patients with false-positive cultures.