title: Characterizing tuberculosis genotype clusters along the United States-Mexico border.
abstract: We examined the growth of tuberculosis (TB) genotype clusters during 2005-2010 in the United States, categorized by country of origin and ethnicity of the index case and geographic proximity to the US-Mexico border at the time of TB diagnosis. Nationwide, 38.9% of cases subsequent to Mexico-born index cases were US-born. Among clusters following US-born Hispanic and US-born non-Hispanic index cases, respectively 29.2% and 5.3% of subsequent cluster members were Mexico-born. In border areas, the majority of subsequent cases were Mexico-born following US-born Hispanic (56.4%) and US-born non-Hispanic (55.6%) index cases. These findings suggest that TB transmission commonly occurs between US-born and Mexico-born persons. Along the US-Mexico border, prioritizing TB genotype clusters following US-born index cases for investigation may prevent subsequent cases among both US-born and Mexico-born persons.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, and Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Division of Tuberculosis Elimination, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Moonan
mesh_terms: D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005838:Genotype; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology