Molecular diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Sri Lanka

Rajapaksa, U.S.; Victor, T.C.; Perera, A.J.; Warren, R.M.; Senevirathne, S.M.P.

doi:10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.04.025

« Previous Next »Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 102, Issue 10 , Pages 997-1002, October 2008

Molecular diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Sri Lanka

U.S. Rajapaksa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, P.O. Box 271, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +94 112697513; fax: +94 112691581.
T.C. Victor
- MRC Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
A.J. Perera
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, P.O. Box 271, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka
R.M. Warren
- MRC Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa
S.M.P. Senevirathne
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, P.O. Box 271, Kynsey Road, Colombo 08, Sri Lanka

Received 1 January 2008; received in revised form 15 April 2008; accepted 19 April 2008.

Summary

The strain diversity of 100 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected over a period of 18 months from tuberculosis (TB) cases in Sri Lanka was studied by spoligotyping. When compared to the international spoligotyping database, 43 spoligotype patterns were identified, of which 20 were previously described. The majority of isolates (72.45%) were clustered into major genetic group 1, and the most common spoligotype pattern belonged to the Beijing (ST1) strain family. All the Beijing strain isolates belonged to more recently evolved sublineages of M. tuberculosis. The characterization of Sri Lankan M. tuberculosis isolates by spoligotyping shows a heterogeneous pattern. The physical separation from the main Indian peninsula may be responsible for the different patterns observed between the two countries. An in-depth field study is needed to understand the spread and the true epidemiology of this infection.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Molecular diagnostic techniques, Spoligotype pattern, Beijing strain, Sri Lanka