Molecular Epidemiology of Tuberculosis in the Czech Republic, 2004: Analysis of M. tuberculosis Complex Isolates Originating from the City of Prague, South Moravia and the Moravian-Silesian Region

The molecular epidemiological data of this period-prevalence, population based study and its comparison to earlier investigations point to a low extent of clustering between M. tuberculosis complex isolates in representative regions of the Czech Republic. Few clusters extending geographically and/or over several years were identified, providing a means for an in-depth analysis of risk factors of transmission. Beijing genotype isolates were shown to increase in prevalence to reach 6.5%. Drug resistant isolates of this genotype were associated with immigration of from Eastern Europe, although direct transmission of a resistant isolate was probable only in one of eleven cases.