Journal article

Frequent transmission of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing lineage and positive selection for the EsxW Beijing variant in Vietnam

Kathryn E Holt, Paul McAdam, Vuong Khac Thai Phan, Thuy Thuong Thuong Nguyen, Thi Minh Ha Dang, Ngoc Lan Nguyen, Huu Lan Nguyen, Thi Quynh Nhu Nguyen, Thanh Hai Hoang, Thi Ngoc Ha Vu, Guy Thwaites, David J Edwards, Artika P Nath, Kym Pham, David B Ascher, Jeremy Farrar, Chiea Chuen Khor, Yik Ying Teo, Michael Inouye, Maxine Caws Show all

NATURE GENETICS | NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2018

Abstract

To examine the transmission dynamics of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) isolated from tuberculosis patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, we sequenced the whole genomes of 1,635 isolates and compared these with 3,144 isolates from elsewhere. The data identify an underlying burden of disease caused by the endemic Mtb lineage 1 associated with the activation of long-term latent infection, and a threefold higher burden associated with the more recently introduced Beijing lineage and lineage 4 Mtb strains. We find that Beijing lineage Mtb is frequently transferred between Vietnam and other countries, and detect higher levels of transmission of Beijing lineage strains within this host population..

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Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia


Awarded by A*STAR Biomedical Research Council, Singapore


Awarded by Wellcome Trust UK


Awarded by Major Overseas Program in Vietnam


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia


Awarded by MRC


Funding Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the clinical staff who recruited patients into our study from the following District TB Units (DTUs) in HCMC, Vietnam: Districts 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8, Tan Binh, Binh Thanh and Phu Nhuan; and also our colleagues from Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital for Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, HCMC Vietnam. This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (project grant no. 1056689 to S.J.D., Fellowship no. 1061409 to K.E.H., Fellowship no. 1061435 to M.I., Fellowship no. 1072476 to D.B.A.), A*STAR Biomedical Research Council, Singapore (12/1/21/24/6689 to Y.Y.T.) and the Wellcome Trust UK (research training fellowship no. 081814/Z/06/Z to M.C.) and as part of their Major Overseas Program in Vietnam (089276/Z/09/Z to J.F. and 106680/B/14/Z to G.T.).