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[Evaluation of JATA(12)-variable number of tandem repeats as a marker of the source of tuberculosis outbreaks in Osaka].

OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the usefulness of the JATA (12)-variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) system for identifying the source of Mycobacterium tuberculosis outbreaks. DESIGN; JATA(12)-VNTR genotyping was performed on M. tuberculosis isolates from a total of 206 patients in whom group infection was confirmed by epidemiological studies ("group infection"), as well as from 64 patient clusters in whom group infection was suspected but not confirmed ("non-group infection"). The patients were diagnosed in Osaka Prefecture from April 1999 to December 2011.


RESULTS
All isolates from the "non-group infection" patients showed a unique VNTR pattern, whereas isolates from 185 (89.9%) "group infection" patients showed a common and group-specific JATA (12)-VNTR pattern. However, single-locus variants were observed in 1 (1.6%) "non-group infection" case and in 21 (10.2%) "group infection" cases.


CONCLUSION
Tuberculosis in 248 (91.9%) of the 270 study patients could be correctly identified based on the genotyping of the isolates by using the JATA (12)-VNTR. If proper attention is paid to the single-locus variant, the JATA (12)-VNTR system would be a useful tool for identification of sources of tuberculosis outbreaks.