Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
TB & Outbreaks Week (08.27.02) - Thursday, September 12, 2002
Michael Greer
The researchers examined 119 TB strains taken from patients. Analysis through spoligotyping and restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) revealed that over 40 percent of these strains belonged to the Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis genotype and that this strain is responsible for a high proportion of resistant TB cases in the Archangel Oblast.
Over 40 percent of the Beijing TB strains were drug-resistant, compared with about 10 percent of the non-Beijing strains, study data showed. In fact, Beijing TB strains were roughly four times as likely to be drug-resistant as non-Beijing strains. Over 90 percent of the Beijing isolates were part of a TB cluster, while clusters were identified for only a third of non-Beijing strains.
The researchers found that alcohol abusers and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders prior to infection were significantly more likely to carry Beijing TB strains. "Our study demonstrated that strains of the Beijing genotype are an important cause of tuberculosis in the Archangel Oblast," Toungoussova and colleagues concluded, "and that dissemination of these strains is associated with the high incidence of drug resistance."
The study, "Spread Of Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Strains of the Beijing Genotype in the Archangel Oblast, Russia," appears in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology (2002;40(6):1930-1937).
020912
AD021748
Copyright © 2002 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2002. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2002. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.