title: Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis rules out cross-infection among renal patients with tuberculosis.
abstract: A cluster of five cases of tuberculosis occurred on a renal unit in 1993. The initial impression was that this was an outbreak, and cross-infection was suspected. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was carried out on the strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from these cases, using a DNA probe directed against the insertion sequence IS6110. DNA fingerprints obtained by this method differed for all the strains tested, ruling out cross-infection as a cause of the outbreak. This technique is a useful adjunct to standard epidemiological investigations in outbreaks of tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, UCL Hospitals, London, UK.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Bendall
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Drobniewski
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Jayasena
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Nye
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Uttley
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Scott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting; D015342:DNA Probes; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000150:complications; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D015342:DNA Probes