Cadernos de Saúde Pública (Sep 2011)

First insights into the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil

  • Aída Cristina do Nascimento Silva,
  • Lucilaine Ferrazoli,
  • Vera Simonsen,
  • Joice Neves Reis,
  • Susan Martins Pereira,
  • Theomira Mauadie de Azevedo Carmo,
  • Eduardo Luiz Andrade Mota,
  • Mitermayer Galvão Reis

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 9
pp. 1859 – 1863

Abstract

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This study constitutes a first attempt to describe the genetic population structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis circulating in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil. A total of 56 confirmed cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, identified between March and June 2008, were analyzed using restriction fragment length polymorphism (IS6110-RFLP). The study population was characterized by a predominance of males (71.43%) over 30 years of age (68.75%). Forty-one isolates were found to belong to a single pattern (73.2%), while 15 (26.7%) were found in group patterns, forming six clusters. The higher level of diversity observed is much more suggestive of endogenous reactivation than recent transmission.

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