Reduced Transmissibility of East African Indian Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Author Information
Author(s): Albanna Amr S., Reed Michael B., Kotar Kimberley V., Fallow Ashley, McIntosh Fiona A., Behr Marcel A., Menzies Dick
Primary Institution: McGill University
Hypothesis
How do East African-Indian strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis compare to other strains in terms of transmissibility and disease severity?
Conclusion
EAI strains were associated with reduced transmission compared to other MTB lineages in Montreal.
Supporting Evidence
- EAI lineage was associated with lower rates of TB transmission.
- EAI strains were less likely to cause severe forms of TB.
- Statistical analysis showed significant differences in transmission rates.
Takeaway
Some types of tuberculosis bacteria spread less easily and cause less severe illness than others.
Methodology
The study classified MTB isolates into lineages and assessed their clinical and epidemiologic features using data from a population-based study.
Potential Biases
Difficulties in controlling for ethnicity and socioeconomic status may introduce bias.
Limitations
The small number of patients infected with the EAI lineage and potential confounding effects related to ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Participant Demographics
The study included 678 patients with active TB, with diverse backgrounds from various countries.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
0.4–0.9
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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