The parent project for this FIRCA application is a molecular epidemiologic study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. The investigators are using molecular genotyping methods to describe the diversity of M. tuberculosis strains from all acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear positive cases of pulmonary TB. Clusters of TB patients infected with the same strain will be characterized in demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic terms. Biologic, social, and behavioral factors of selected clusters will be compared to non-clustered cases. The establishment of a TB molecular epidemiology lab (DNA fingerprinting, PCR and rapid drug susceptibility determination) in the Instituto Nacional de Diagnostico y Epidemiologicas in Mexico City is a technology transfer goal. The purpose of the FIRCA study is to apply molecular epidemiologic techniques (IS6110 genotyping of isolates) to evaluate whether persons with microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB not detected by sputum microscopy (paucibacillary) truly are a source of infection to others. This would enable reassessment of the assumption that only AFB smear positive cases contribute to disease transmission. The resulting molecular genotypes will be analyzed to identify clusters of TB cases and will then be correlated with transmission events in the cases obtained by epidemiologic methods. This study will be conducted in the state of Puebla, Mexico, which is largely rural, and socially and economically marginal.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Fogarty International Center (FIC)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03TW000928-02
Application #
6078381
Study Section
International and Cooperative Projects 1 Study Section (ICP)
Program Officer
Michels, Kathleen M
Project Start
1998-09-30
Project End
2001-09-29
Budget Start
1999-09-30
Budget End
2000-09-29
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Stanford University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
800771545
City
Stanford
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94305
Martinez-Gamboa, Areli; Ponce-de-Leon, Alfredo; Galindo-Fraga, Arturo et al. (2008) Molecular analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains with an intact pks15/1 gene in a rural community of Mexico. Arch Med Res 39:809-14