In response to a large local school-based outbreak of tuberculosis, we have been evaluating the utility of microarray bacterial genomic analysis in outbreak management. After initial comparison of the isolate from the index case withMycobacterium tuberculosisH37Rv, it was possible to design robust PCRs directed towards strain-specificdeletions. Rapid PCR analysis of isolates proved valuable in determining whether ornot other isolates were compatible with the outbreak strain and further microarraystudies revealed genetic markers that could be used to discriminate between locallycirculating strains.We suggest that this approach forms the basis for developing rapidlocal genotyping schemes applicable toM. tuberculosisand that application to otherpathogens warrants consideration.
展开▼
