title: Molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from elephants of Nepal.
abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from the lung tissues of 3 captive elephants in Nepal that died with extensive lung lesions. Spoligotyping, TbD1 detection and multi-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) results suggested 3 isolates belonged to a specific lineage of Indo-Oceanic clade, EAI5 SIT 138. One of the elephant isolates had a new synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) T231C in the gyrA sequence, and the same SNP was also found in human isolates in Nepal. MLVA results and transfer history of the elephants suggested that 2 of them might be infected with M. tuberculosis from the same source. These findings indicated the source of M. tuberculosis infection of those elephants were local residents, presumably their handlers. Further investigation including detailed genotyping of elephant and human isolates is needed to clarify the infection route and eventually prevent the transmission of tuberculosis to susceptible hosts.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan. Electronic address: saradpaudel@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Sarad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paudel
authors.affiliation: Elephant Care International, 166 Limo View Lane, Hohenwald, TN 38462, USA. Electronic address: smikota@elephantcare.org.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mikota
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan. Electronic address: cnakajim@czc.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Chie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Babarmahal, Kathmandu, Nepal. Electronic address: kamalgairhe@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kamal P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Gairhe
authors.affiliation: German Nepal Tuberculosis Project, Kalimati, Kathmandu, Nepal. Electronic address: bhagwan.maharjan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Bhagwan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maharjan
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan. Electronic address: lifethapa@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Jeewan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan. Electronic address: ajay@czc.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ajay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poudel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan. Electronic address: shimozuru@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Michito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shimozuru
authors.affiliation: Division of Global Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita 20, Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan. Electronic address: suzuki@czc.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Wildlife Biology and Medicine, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan. Electronic address: tsubota@vetmed.hokudai.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D004606:Elephants; D005260:Female; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009390:Nepal; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Asian elephants; Multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA); Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Spoligotyping