MDR-TB Outbreak among HIV-Negative Tunisian Patients followed during 11 Years.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) outbreaks that evolve, from the outset, in a context strictly negative for HIV infection deserve special consideration since they reflect the true intrinsic epidemic potential of the causative strain. To our knowledge, the long-term evolution of such exceptional outbreaks and the treatment outcomes for the involved patients has never been reported hitherto. Here we provide a thorough description, over an 11-year period, of an MDR-TB outbreak that emerged and expanded in an HIV-negative context, Northern Tunisia.

Re-emergence of the progenitors of a multidrug-resistant outbreak strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among the post-outbreak case patients.

BACKGROUND. The progenitors of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) outbreak strains might evolve into new outbreak strains. We hypothesized that these strains could re-emerge among post-outbreak patients with TB and must thus be tracked.

Genetic profiling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Tunisia: predominance and evidence for the establishment of a few genotypes.

Typing analyses of 378 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected between the years 2001 and 2005 from three northern representative regions of Tunisia revealed a highly homogeneous population. Indeed, 84.9 % of all tuberculosis (TB) cases were attributed to the Haarlem, LAM or T families.

Promoter and neck region length variation of DC-SIGN is not associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis in Tunisian patients.

The C-type lectin DC-SIGN (CD209) is an important pathogen recognition receptor of the innate immune system. Recent studies showed that DC-SIGN is the major receptor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on human dendritic cells and that polymorphisms in the DC-SIGN promoter region are associated with susceptibility to tuberculosis. In this light, we aimed to study the potential implication of DC-SIGN genetic variation in the predisposition to tuberculosis in a group of Tunisian patients.

Tuberculosis due to resistant Haarlem strain, Tunisia.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was diagnosed in 21 HIV-negative, nonhospitalized male patients residing in northern Tunisia. A detailed investigation showed accelerated transmission of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis clone of the Haarlem type in 90% of all patients. This finding highlights the epidemic potential of this prevalent genotype.