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Updated: Oct 15, 2025

The MODS method for diagnosis of tuberculosis and multidrug resistant tuberculosis
Published on: August 11, 2008
Transmission of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Shimen community in Shanghai, China: a molecular epidemiology
Zhiying Han1, Jing Li2, Guomei Sun3
1Department of Tuberculosis Prevention and Control, Jing'an District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, 200072, China. zhiying.han728@gmail.com.
Background:
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has become a major public health problem in China, with mounting evidence suggesting that recent transmission accounts for the majority of MDR-TB. Here we aimed to reveal the transmission pattern of an MDR-TB outbreak in the Jing'an District of Shanghai between 2010 and 2015.
Methods:
We used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to conduct genomic clustering analysis along with field epidemiological investigation to determine the transmission pattern and drug resistance profile of a cluster with ten MDR-TB patients in combining field epidemiological investigation.
Results:
The ten MDR-TB patients with genotypically clustered Beijing lineage strains lived in a densely populated, old alley with direct or indirect contact history. The analysis of genomic data showed that the genetic distances of the ten strains (excluding drug-resistant mutations) were 0-20 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), with an average distance of 9 SNPs, suggesting that the ten MDR-TB patients were infected and developed the onset of illness by the recent transmission of M. tuberculosis. The genetic analysis confirmed definite epidemiological links between the clustered cases.
Conclusions:
The integration of the genotyping tool in routine tuberculosis surveillance can play a substantial role in the detection of MDR-TB transmission events. The leverage of genomic analysis in combination with the epidemiological investigation could further elucidate transmission patterns. Whole-genome sequencing could be integrated into intensive case-finding strategies to identify missed cases of MDR-TB and strengthen efforts to interrupt transmission.
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