title: [Molecular epidemiology of rifampicin mono-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the prevalence and possible transmission routes of rifampicin (RFP) mono-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drug susceptibility testing was used to identify 15 RFP-resistant strains out of 4633 M. tuberculosis isolates. Sequencing of the rpoB gene and VNTR analysis were performed to further confirm the genetic classification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Resistance-conferring mutations in the RFP resistance-determining region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene were found in 14 of the 15 strains with phenotypic RFP mono-resistance. VNTR analysis revealed 2 clusters of 5 identical strains each.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the community prevalence of RFP mono-resistant M. tuberculosis is low, the results of VNTR analysis suggested that rather than being recently transmitted, these strains may have been widely transmitted as latent infections in the population.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center, National Hospital Organization Kinki-chuo Chest Medical Center, 1180 Nagasone-cho, Kita-ku, Sakai-shi, Osaka 591-8555 Japan. dustin@kch.hosp.go.jp
authors.forename: Shiomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuyuguchi
authors.forename: Katsuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Motohisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.forename: Masaji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Tomotada
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
mesh_terms: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C505805:rpoB protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; D012293:Rifampin