title: Transmission of Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in South Africa.
abstract: Drug-resistant tuberculosis threatens recent gains in the treatment of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection worldwide. A widespread epidemic of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis is occurring in South Africa, where cases have increased substantially since 2002. The factors driving this rapid increase have not been fully elucidated, but such knowledge is needed to guide public health interventions.
  
  
  
  We conducted a prospective study involving 404 participants in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, with a diagnosis of XDR tuberculosis between 2011 and 2014. Interviews and medical-record reviews were used to elicit information on the participants' history of tuberculosis and HIV infection, hospitalizations, and social networks. Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates underwent insertion sequence (IS)6110 restriction-fragment-length polymorphism analysis, targeted gene sequencing, and whole-genome sequencing. We used clinical and genotypic case definitions to calculate the proportion of cases of XDR tuberculosis that were due to inadequate treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (i.e., acquired resistance) versus those that were due to transmission (i.e., transmitted resistance). We used social-network analysis to identify community and hospital locations of transmission.
  
  
  
  Of the 404 participants, 311 (77%) had HIV infection; the median CD4+ count was 340 cells per cubic millimeter (interquartile range, 117 to 431). A total of 280 participants (69%) had never received treatment for MDR tuberculosis. Genotypic analysis in 386 participants revealed that 323 (84%) belonged to 1 of 31 clusters. Clusters ranged from 2 to 14 participants, except for 1 large cluster of 212 participants (55%) with a LAM4/KZN strain. Person-to-person or hospital-based epidemiologic links were identified in 123 of 404 participants (30%).
  
  
  
  The majority of cases of XDR tuberculosis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, an area with a high tuberculosis burden, were probably due to transmission rather than to inadequate treatment of MDR tuberculosis. These data suggest that control of the epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis requires an increased focus on interrupting transmission. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others.).
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: N Sarita
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Sara C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: James C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brust
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Barun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mathema
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Nazir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Pravi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moodley
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Koleka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mlisana
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Allana
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Thuli
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mthiyane
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Natashia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Primrose
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mpangase
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Hermina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: van der Meulen
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Shaheed V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Tyler S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Apurva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Narechania
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shaskina
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Thandi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kapwata
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kreiswirth
authors.affiliation: From the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and School of Medicine (N.S.S., S.C.A., S.A., A.C., N.R.G.) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (N.S.S.) - both in Atlanta; Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center (N.S.S., J.C.M.B., N.R.G.), Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health (B.M., T.S.B.), and the American Museum of Natural History (A.N.) - all in New York; the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Johannesburg (N.I., H.M., S.V.O.), University of KwaZulu-Natal and National Health Laboratory Service, Durban (P. Moodley, K.M., T.M., P. Mpangase), and the South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town (N.M., T.K.) - all in South Africa; and the Public Health Research Institute, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers University, Newark (E.S., B.K.).
authors.forename: Neel R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Gandhi
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D054908:Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012944:Social Support; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents