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Estimates of the burden of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 reinfections are limited by the scarcity of population-level studies incorporating genomic support. We conducted a systematic study of reinfections in Madrid, Spain, supported by genomic viral analysis and host genetic analysis, to cleanse laboratory errors and to discriminate between reinfections and recurrences involving the same strain. Among the 41,195 cases diagnosed (March 2020-March 2021), 93 (0.23%) had 2 positive reverse transcription PCR tests (55-346 days apart). After eliminating cases with specimens not stored, of suboptimal sequence quality, or belonging to different persons, we obtained valid data from 22 cases. Of those, 4 (0.01%) cases were recurrences involving the same strain; case-patients were 39-93 years of age, and 3 were immunosuppressed. Eighteen (0.04%) cases were reinfections; patients were 19-84 years of age, and most had no relevant clinical history. The second episode was more severe in 8 cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematic molecular/genomic epidemiology studies for tuberculosis surveillance cannot be implemented in many countries. We selected Panama as a model for an alternative strategy. Mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable-number tandem-repeat (MIRU-VNTR) analysis revealed a high proportion (50%) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates included in 6 clusters (A-F) in 2 provinces (Panama and Colon). Cluster A corresponded to the Beijing sublineage. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) differentiated clusters due to active recent transmission, with low single-nucleotide polymorphism-based diversity (cluster C), from clusters involving long-term prevalent strains with higher diversity (clusters A, B). Prospective application in Panama of 3 tailored strain-specific PCRs targeting marker single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified from WGS data revealed that 31.4% of incident cases involved strains A-C and that the Beijing strain was highly represented and restricted mainly to Colon. Rational integration of MIRU-VNTR, WGS, and tailored strain-specific PCRs could be a new model for tuberculosis surveillance in countries without molecular/genomic epidemiology programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a cross-border molecular epidemiology analysis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Peru, Spain, and Italy. This analysis revealed frequent transmission in Peru and exportation of a strain that recreated similar levels of transmission in Europe during 2007-2017. Transnational efforts are needed to control transmission of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a tuberculosis (TB) patient with mixed infection in an area of moderate incidence. Topics covered include the assessment of the patient's sputum samples for resistance, the confirmation of the presence of the multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB strain by the phenotypic antibiogram and the analysis of the origin of the susceptible strain. Also mentioned is the relevance of the findings to infection involving resistant strains.

The article focuses on a study of the human-to-animal transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in cattle in Spain from 2007 to 2009. Direct variable repeat spacer oligonucleotide typing was used to identify and genotype M. tuberculosis complex in tissue samples. An animal in farm 1 was co-infected with other mycobacteria, particularly M. avium hominissuis. It cites the importance of the use of liquid systems for the prompt confirmation of M. tuberculosis complex infection.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Beijing Genotype," in the 2003 issue.