High-resolution mapping of tuberculosis transmission: Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic modelling of a cohort from Valencia Region, Spain

by Yuanwei Xu, Irving Cancino-Mu ñoz, Manuela Torres-Puente, Luis M. Villamayor, Rafael Borrás, María Borrás-Máñez, Montserrat Bosque, Juan J. Camarena, Ester Colomer-Roig, Javier Colomina, Isabel Escribano, Oscar Esparcia-Rodríguez, Ana Gil-Brusola, Concepción Gimeno, Adelina Gimeno-Gascón, Bárbara Gomila-Sard, Damiana G onzález-Granda, Nieves Gonzalo-Jiménez, María Remedio Guna-Serrano, José Luis López-Hontangas, Coral Martín-González, Rosario Moreno-Muñoz, David Navarro, María Navarro, Nieves Orta, Elvira Pérez, Josep Prat, Juan Carlos Rodríguez, María Montserrat Ruiz-García, Herme Vanaclocha, Carolin e Colijn, Iñaki Comas BackgroundWhole genome sequencing provides better delineation of transmission clusters inMycobacterium tuberculosis than traditional methods. However, its ability to reveal individual transmission links within clusters is limited. Here, we used a 2-step approach based on Bayesian transmission reconstruction to (1) identify likely index and missing cases, (2) determine risk factors associated with transmitters, and (3) estimate when transmission happened. Methods and findingsWe developed our transmission reconstruction method using genomic and epidemiological data from a population-based study from Valencia Region, Spain. Tuberculosis (TB) incidence during the study period was 8.4 cases per 100,000 people. While the study is ongoing, the sampling frame for this work includes notified TB cases between 1 January 2014 and 31 December ...
Source: PLoS Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Source Type: research