title: Determining the Risk of Intra-Community Transmission of Tuberculosis in the Northwest of Iran Through 15 Loci Miru-Vntr Typing.
abstract: This study was carried out in order to investigating the effect of travelling on the transmission of tuberculosis from high- to low-burden TB countries. Mycobacteria samples isolated from patients of distinct and relatively co-related countries (Azerbaijan Republic and Tabriz [located in the northwest of Iran]) were analyzed through 15 loci MIRU-VNTR typing method. PCR was done using special primers for each of the loci; then the number of allele repeats for all loci were determined by the size of their fragments. Finally, the created numeric patterns for each isolate were analyzed and clustered, using MIRU-VNTRplus.org website. All 119 isolates dispersing at 106 distinct patterns were composed of 10 clusters with 23 members and 96 unique patterns. Nine and five loci had high and moderate discriminatory power, respectively, but only one of them was poor in clustering. The study showed that 89.08% of TB cases involved resulted from the reactivation pattern and 10.92% were related to ongoing transmission. Although Azerbaijan Republic is a higher-burden TB region than Tabriz and Azerbaijan people make frequent tours to Tabriz to receive low or free medical services, the findings showed no TB transmission from the regions at least during the year of the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University , Fars, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afaghi-Gharamaleki
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Sciences, Paramedical Faculty, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Seyyedreza
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moaddab
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University , Fars, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darbouy
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ansarin
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Technology, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University , Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahram
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanifian
keywords: 15 loci MIRU-VNTR; intra-community transmission; molecular epidemiology; recent transmission; tuberculosis