Phage-typing and drug-resistance patterns as tools in mycobacterial epidemiology.
Phage-typing by itself was not sufficient to delineate the boundaries of a mini-epidemic of tuberculosis in upstate New York. Drug-resistance patterns were needed as well. In a small upstate community, 79% of 14 isolates tested were resistant to one or more of the antituberculosis drugs. Of 15 isolates with phage types determined, 47% were type 1(13), 27% were type 7(7, 13), and 27% were type 1(7, 12, 13). By combining phage-typing and sensitivity testing, we were able to demonstrate that 4 or possibly 5 of the 7 phage-type 1(13) strains are epidemiologically related.
D001434:Bacteriophage Typing; D002648:Child; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009160:Mycobacteriophages; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification*