title: Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis detecting a community-based tuberculosis outbreak among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus.
abstract: Analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) was used to investigate an increase in tuberculosis (TB) among noninstitutionalized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons in King County, Washington. Using the IS6110 insertion sequence, RFLP analysis was done on Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from 18 HIV-infected patients and 10 randomly selected patients without HIV risk factors. Six HIV-infected patients with the same M. tuberculosis strain had contact at one or more of three bars as their only common exposure. Two other HIV-infected persons, a patient and a health care worker who had close contact, had matching strains. Isolates from the 10 remaining HIV-infected patients and the 10 patients without HIV risk factors had different DNA patterns. Analysis of RFLP patterns revealed a community outbreak of TB among HIV-infected persons who had not been previously linked following conventional investigation by the health department. This technique deserves further evaluation as an epidemiologic tool in the investigation of TB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Seattle.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Tabet
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Goldbaum
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Hooton
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Eisenach
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cave
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Nolan
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; D000328:Adult; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014861:Washington / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial