title: An outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis caused by a Beijing strain in the western Cape, South Africa.
abstract: During October 2005, four children in a school in Cape Town were identified with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Genetic analysis confirmed that these isolates belonged to a single cluster (Beijing cluster 220) and that all harboured a -15 inhA(C-T) promoter mutation demonstrating transmission. Genetic analysis of isolates cultured from patients from the Boland-Overberg-South Cape-Karoo and Cape Town regions showed that 28% (58/209) of patients infected with a Beijing strain had the cluster 220 genotypes and that all harboured the same -15 inhA(C-T) promoter mutation. The presence of these transmissible MDR-TB strains may pose a threat to the community, and rigorous infection control measures are needed to ensure the safety of those exposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science and Technology, Faculty of Health Science, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jordaan
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Falmer
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beyers
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cloete
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: van Helden
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Victor
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013019:South Africa; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C085257:InhA protein, Mycobacterium