Background An ongoing restriction fragment length polymorphism study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from tuberculosis cases showed an identical 12-band IS6110 pattern unique to 3 unrelated patients (Patients A-C) diagnosed as having tuberculosis within a 9-month period.
Methods In an attempt to identify epidemiologic links between the 3 patients, we performed site visits to the retail business work site of patient A and conducted detailed interviews with all 3 patients and their contacts.
Results Patient B had visited patient A's work site 3 times during patient A's infectious period, spending no more than 15 minutes each time. Patient C visited patient A's work site on 6 to 10 occasions during this period for no more than 45 minutes at any one time. There were no other epidemiologic links between these 3 cases other than the contact at the store. Contact investigation identified 4 tuberculin skin test conversions among 8 (50%) of patient A's coworkers, 6 positive tests among 15 household contacts (40%), and 8 positive tests among 16 identified customers who were casual contacts (50%). Patient B and patient C were most likely infected by patient A during one of their brief visits to patient A's work site.
Conclusions These data demonstrate that some tuberculosis is spread through casual contact not normally pursued in traditional contact investigations and that, in certain situations, M tuberculosis can be transmitted despite minimal duration of exposure. In addition, this outbreak emphasizes the importance of DNA fingerprinting data for identifying unusual transmission in unexpected settings.
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Results of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis chromosomal DNA. The figure shows the results of Southern blotting after restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with Pvu II/IS6110. Lane 1 shows the isolate from patient A at the time of diagnosis, lane 2, the isolate from patient B; and lane 3, the isolate from patient C. Lane 4 shows reference strain Mt 14323; the numbers on the right indicate the band sizes in kilobases (kb) inferred from the reference strain.
Timeline of store X outbreak.
Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature
Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal
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