Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.

<h4>Background</h4>The proportion of tuberculosis attributable to transmission from close contacts is not well known. Comparison of the genome of strains from index patients and prior contacts allows transmission to be confirmed or excluded.<h4>Methods</h4>In Karonga District...

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Main Authors: Judith R Glynn, José Afonso Guerra-Assunção, Rein M G J Houben, Lifted Sichali, Themba Mzembe, Lorrain K Mwaungulu, J Nimrod Mwaungulu, Ruth McNerney, Palwasha Khan, Julian Parkhill, Amelia C Crampin, Taane G Clark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0132840
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author Judith R Glynn
José Afonso Guerra-Assunção
Rein M G J Houben
Lifted Sichali
Themba Mzembe
Lorrain K Mwaungulu
J Nimrod Mwaungulu
Ruth McNerney
Palwasha Khan
Julian Parkhill
Amelia C Crampin
Taane G Clark
author_facet Judith R Glynn
José Afonso Guerra-Assunção
Rein M G J Houben
Lifted Sichali
Themba Mzembe
Lorrain K Mwaungulu
J Nimrod Mwaungulu
Ruth McNerney
Palwasha Khan
Julian Parkhill
Amelia C Crampin
Taane G Clark
author_sort Judith R Glynn
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>The proportion of tuberculosis attributable to transmission from close contacts is not well known. Comparison of the genome of strains from index patients and prior contacts allows transmission to be confirmed or excluded.<h4>Methods</h4>In Karonga District, Malawi, all tuberculosis patients are asked about prior contact with others with tuberculosis. All available strains from culture-positive patients were sequenced. Up to 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms between index patients and their prior contacts were allowed for confirmation, and ≥ 100 for exclusion. The population attributable fraction was estimated from the proportion of confirmed transmissions and the proportion of patients with contacts.<h4>Results</h4>From 1997-2010 there were 1907 new culture-confirmed tuberculosis patients, of whom 32% reported at least one family contact and an additional 11% had at least one other contact; 60% of contacts had smear-positive disease. Among case-contact pairs with sequences available, transmission was confirmed from 38% (62/163) smear-positive prior contacts and 0/17 smear-negative prior contacts. Confirmed transmission was more common in those related to the prior contact (42.4%, 56/132) than in non-relatives (19.4%, 6/31, p = 0.02), and in those with more intense contact, to younger index cases, and in more recent years. The proportion of tuberculosis attributable to known contacts was estimated to be 9.4% overall.<h4>Conclusions</h4>In this population known contacts only explained a small proportion of tuberculosis cases. Even those with a prior family contact with smear positive tuberculosis were more likely to have acquired their infection elsewhere.
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spelling doaj-art-28d507f52b7f4b53a40d0401f4d8dd4e2025-08-20T03:46:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01107e013284010.1371/journal.pone.0132840Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.Judith R GlynnJosé Afonso Guerra-AssunçãoRein M G J HoubenLifted SichaliThemba MzembeLorrain K MwaunguluJ Nimrod MwaunguluRuth McNerneyPalwasha KhanJulian ParkhillAmelia C CrampinTaane G Clark<h4>Background</h4>The proportion of tuberculosis attributable to transmission from close contacts is not well known. Comparison of the genome of strains from index patients and prior contacts allows transmission to be confirmed or excluded.<h4>Methods</h4>In Karonga District, Malawi, all tuberculosis patients are asked about prior contact with others with tuberculosis. All available strains from culture-positive patients were sequenced. Up to 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms between index patients and their prior contacts were allowed for confirmation, and ≥ 100 for exclusion. The population attributable fraction was estimated from the proportion of confirmed transmissions and the proportion of patients with contacts.<h4>Results</h4>From 1997-2010 there were 1907 new culture-confirmed tuberculosis patients, of whom 32% reported at least one family contact and an additional 11% had at least one other contact; 60% of contacts had smear-positive disease. Among case-contact pairs with sequences available, transmission was confirmed from 38% (62/163) smear-positive prior contacts and 0/17 smear-negative prior contacts. Confirmed transmission was more common in those related to the prior contact (42.4%, 56/132) than in non-relatives (19.4%, 6/31, p = 0.02), and in those with more intense contact, to younger index cases, and in more recent years. The proportion of tuberculosis attributable to known contacts was estimated to be 9.4% overall.<h4>Conclusions</h4>In this population known contacts only explained a small proportion of tuberculosis cases. Even those with a prior family contact with smear positive tuberculosis were more likely to have acquired their infection elsewhere.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0132840
spellingShingle Judith R Glynn
José Afonso Guerra-Assunção
Rein M G J Houben
Lifted Sichali
Themba Mzembe
Lorrain K Mwaungulu
J Nimrod Mwaungulu
Ruth McNerney
Palwasha Khan
Julian Parkhill
Amelia C Crampin
Taane G Clark
Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
PLoS ONE
title Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
title_full Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
title_fullStr Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
title_full_unstemmed Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
title_short Whole Genome Sequencing Shows a Low Proportion of Tuberculosis Disease Is Attributable to Known Close Contacts in Rural Malawi.
title_sort whole genome sequencing shows a low proportion of tuberculosis disease is attributable to known close contacts in rural malawi
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0132840
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