Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2026

Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis with the Xpert MTB/RIF Test
Published on: April 9, 2012
[Recent transmission of tuberculosis in Madrid (Spain): usefulness of molecular techniques]
J Iñigo Martínez1, F Chaves Sánchez, A Arce Arnáez
1Servicio de Salud Pública del Area 11. Dirección General de Salud Pública. Consejería de Sanidad. Comunidad de Madrid. jesus.inigo@comadrid.es
Background:
Recent studies suggest that many tuberculosis cases in urban areas result from recent transmission. The aim of this study was to determine patterns of tuberculosis transmission in Madrid.
Patients And Methods:
A prospective population-based molecular epidemiological study of patients diagnosed of tuberculosis was conducted in three urban districts of Madrid (455.050 inhabitants) during 1997-1998. Clinical, demographic and epidemiological data were reviewed. Patients were included in clusters when their isolates contained: a) six or more IS6110 bands in an identical pattern, or b) five or fewer IS6110 bands that matched identically and had an identical spoligotyping pattern.
Results:
Of 207 positive-culture patients, 148 (71,5%) were DNA fingerprinted. A total of 18 clusters which included 62 patients (41,9%) were identified. Clusters contained between 2 and 12 cases. Risk factors for clustering included: age < 35 years (OR = 4,1, 95% CI: 1,9-8,9), injection drug use (OR = 4,7, 95% CI: 1,6-14,8), HIV infection (OR = 2,7, 95% CI: 1,1-6,8), and a history of imprisonment (OR = 2,9, 95% CI: 1,2-7,2). The epidemiological investigation identified connections among 27% of clustered patients.
Conclusions:
A high proportion of cases of tuberculosis in urban Madrid result from recent transmission. Molecular epidemiology studies give valuable information for urban tuberculosis control.
Related Concept Videos
Real Time RT-PCR
The real-time quantification of the number of amplified products is...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy
Rapid Identification of Pathogens
Tuberculosis

