Import and transmission of Mycobacterium orygis and Mycobacterium africanum, Norway

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 1 - 562
• Main Authors: Eldholm, Vegard, Ranning, Janne O, Mengshoel, Anne Torunn, Arnesen, Trude
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central Ltd 12-06-2021; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Causes of; Clinical isolates; Contact tracing; Disease; Disease transmission; Distribution; Gene sequencing; Genomes; Imports; Infections; Infectious diseases; Low-incidence country; Mycobacterial infections; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium africanum; Mycobacterium orygis; Patients; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Transmission; Tuberculosis; Whole-genome sequencing; Norway; United States > US; West Africa; Horn of Africa; East Africa; South Asia
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06269-3

The aim of the current study was to improve our understanding of the origins and transmission of Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) in Norway. Whole-genome sequences (WGS) were generated for all (n = 29) available clinical isolates received at the Norwegian National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria (NRL) and identified as MAF in Norway, in the period 2010-2020. Phylogenetic analyses were performed. The analyses indicated several imports of MAF lineage 6 from both East and West African countries, whereas MAF lineage 5 was restricted to patients with West African connections. We also find evidence for transmission of MAF in Norway. Finally, our analyses revealed that a group of isolates from patients originating in South Asia, identified as MAF by means of a commercial line-probe assay, in fact belonged to Mycobacterium orygis. Most MAF cases in Norway are the result of import, but transmission is occurring within Norway.