Cross-jurisdictional transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Maryland and Washington, D C, 1996-2000, linked to the homeless

Emerg Infect Dis. 2002 Nov;8(11):1249-51. doi: 10.3201/eid0811.020245.

Abstract

From 1996 to 2000, 23 Maryland and Washington, D.C., tuberculosis cases were identified in one six-band DNA cluster. Cases were clustered on the basis of their Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Medical record reviews and interviews were conducted to identify epidemiologic linkages. Eighteen (78%) of the 23 case-patients with identical restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns were linked to another member; half the patients were associated with a Washington, D.C., homeless shelter. Molecular epidemiology defined the extent of this large, cross-jurisdictional outbreak.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Disease Outbreaks
  • District of Columbia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Ill-Housed Persons*
  • Male
  • Maryland / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / classification
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification*
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Risk Factors
  • Time Factors
  • Tuberculosis / epidemiology*
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis / transmission*