Assessing a transmission network of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an African city using single nucleotide polymorphism threshold analysis
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MicrobiologyOpen
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death in humans by a single infectious agent
worldwide with approximately two billion humans latently infected with the bacterium
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Currently, the accepted method for controlling the
disease is Tuberculosis Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse (TB-DOTS).
This
program is not preventative and individuals may transmit disease before diagnosis,
thus better understanding of disease transmission is essential. Using whole-genome
sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis, we analyzed genomes of
145 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates from active TB cases from the Rubaga Division
of Kampala, Uganda. We established that these isolates grouped into M. tuberculosis
complex (MTBC) lineages 1, 2, 3, and 4, with the most isolates grouping into lineage 4.
Possible transmission pairs containing ≤12 SNPs were identified in lineages 1, 3, and 4
with the prevailing transmission in lineages 3 and 4. Furthermore, investigating DNA
codon changes as a result of specific SNPs in prominent virulence genes including
plcA and plcB could indicate potentially important modifications in protein function.
Incorporating this analysis with corresponding epidemiological data may provide a
blueprint for the integration of public health interventions to decrease TB transmission
in a region.
Description
Keywords
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Single nucleotide polymorphism, Social network, Transmission, Tuberculosis
Citation
Yassine, E., Galiwango, R., Ssengooba, W., Ashaba, F., Joloba, M. L., Zalwango, S., ... & Quinn, F. (2021). Assessing a transmission network of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in an African city using single nucleotide polymorphism threshold analysis. MicrobiologyOpen, 10(3), e1211. DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1211