Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link
Volume 9, Number 12—December 2003
Dispatch

Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing Genotype and Risk for Treatment Failure and Relapse, Vietnam

Author affiliations: *Pham Ngoc Thach Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; †Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association, The Hague, the Netherlands; ‡University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands; §National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands

Cite This Article

Abstract

Among 2,901 new smear-positive tuberculosis cases in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 40 cases of treatment failure and 39 relapsing cases were diagnosed. All initial and follow-up Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates of these case-patients had (nearly) identical restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns, and the Beijing genotype was a significant risk factor for treatment failure and relapse (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.5 to 5.2).

The Beijing genotype is widespread in Asia (13), and has been involved in outbreaks of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in various parts of the world, including Cuba, Germany, Russia, and Estonia (47). The W strain, which caused a large outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the United States, is a variant of the Beijing genotype (810). The Beijing genotype is emerging in Vietnam in association with drug resistance in this region (11).

In a recent study on acquired drug resistance in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, drug resistance at time of enrollment in the study was shown to be an important risk factor for treatment failure and for relapse of tuberculosis after treatment was completed successfully (12). We used the materials collected for this study to determine the extent to which the Beijing genotype is a risk factor for treatment failure or relapse.

The methods of this study have been described previously (12). In brief, 2,901 new case-patients with smear results positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were enrolled in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August 1996 through July 1998. After a case was diagnosed at the district tuberculosis center, a sputum sample from the case-patient was sent to the reference laboratory, for a repeat microscopy examination of the sputum smear to confirm the diagnosis and to be stored at –20°C. All patients received the standard regimen of the National Tuberculosis Program, i.e., 2 months of streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, and pyrazinamide, followed by 6 months of isoniazid and ethambutol (2SHRZ/6HE). When treatment failure (defined as a positive sputum smear 5 or 8 months after the onset of treatment) or relapse (defined as a positive sputum smear within 2 years after scheduled treatment cessation) was noted, another sputum sample was collected, and both samples were cultured and tested for drug susceptibility with the proportion method. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing was performed by using insertion element IS6110 as a probe (13,14) to exclude reinfection and laboratory cross-contamination.

A random sample of sputum samples was collected at enrollment for culture and sensitivity testing from 10% of patients who had not experienced treatment failure or relapse (controls). This sample size would allow approximately two controls per case-patient. We performed spoligotyping on the sputum samples of case-patients who had experienced treatment failure or relapse and controls to identify the samples that belonged to the Beijing genotype (15). The Beijing genotype was defined as strains without spacers 1–34 and the presence of (at least 3) the spacers 35–43 (16).

Over the enrollment period, 6,113 new smear-positive tuberculosis patients began a treatment regimen, 2,901 of whom were included in the study. Slightly more men were enrolled than women (age-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0 to 1.3), and enrollment was particularly low in those >65 years of age (sex-adjusted OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.4). Of the 2,901 enrolled patients, 2,568 (88%) recovered, and 12 (0.4%) completed treatment; in 125 (4.3%), treatment failed; 63 (2.2%) died; 53 (1.8%) were transferred out; and 80 (2.8%) did not complete the study. Through December 1999, a total of 168 case-patients who experienced a relapse (6.5% of those cured or with treatment completed) were identified. Forty of 125 case-patients whose treatment failed and 39 of 168 case-patients who had a relapse had two positive cultures with nearly identical RFLP patterns (12). Spoligotyping results were available for 136 controls.

Case-patients were somewhat less likely than controls to be female and tended to be somewhat older than controls. However, these differences were not significant. Primary drug resistance (in comparison with full susceptibility) was a strong risk factor for treatment failure or relapse with combined ORs of 3.4 for streptomycin monoresistance, 4.2 for isoniazid monoresistance, and 23 for other susceptibility patterns (Table). The Beijing genotype was associated with treatment failure (OR 3.3 95% CI 1.3 to 8.3; p < 0.01) and relapse (OR 2.4 95% CI 1.0 to 5.7; p < 0.05). In view of the small numbers and similar odds ratios, these two groups were combined (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.5 to 5.2) (Table). The association between the Beijing genotype and treatment failure or relapse hardly changed when taking into account primary drug resistance, age, and sex (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4 to 7.1). We conclude that the Beijing genotype is a risk factor for treatment failure and relapse in Vietnam, irrespective of primary drug resistance. This finding suggests that infections with Beijing genotype strains are more persistent than infections with other M. tuberculosis strains, which may explain the emergence of Beijing genotype strains in this region (11).

This study had limited power to detect risk factors for relapse and treatment failure, mainly because of the relatively small numbers of case-patients in those categories. Recruiting a larger number of controls could not change this, since the selection of more than two controls per case, while increasing workload, has relatively little impact on the statistical power of the analysis. However, since the association between the Beijing genotype and treatment failure or relapse was strong, the association was significant despite limited power.

Beijing genotype strains may have several selective advantages over other genotypes of M. tuberculosis. In many, but not all, areas where Beijing genotype strains are prevalent, this genotype is associated with resistance to antituberculosis drugs (17). The basis for this correlation has so far not been disclosed. However, recent findings indicated that exclusively in Beijing genotype strains, mutations are present in putative mutator genes (18). This finding may indicate that Beijing genotype strains have a higher ability than other strains to allow particular critical mutations in resistance genes, which enables them to acquire resistance to the drugs used in a standard treatment regimen.

This enhanced flexibility due to alterations in the DNA repair mechanism of Beijing genotype bacteria may also play a role in the interaction with the host immune defense system to deal with the less favorable conditions like exposure to oxygen and nitrogen radicals in intracellular environment. Extended research on the immunopathology caused by M. tuberculosis strains of different genotypes in a BALB/c mouse model has shown that most, but not all, Beijing genotype strains cause a more severe pathology, but a reduced immune response in comparison to other genotypes of M. tuberculosis (19).

If Beijing genotype strains have a selective advantage over other genotypes of M. tuberculosis, this may have important implications for future tuberculosis control. The enhanced capability to develop resistance and to interact with the host immune defense system may facilitate the spread of tuberculosis in Asia and in other areas. Currently, a worldwide survey is being conducted to measure the global spread of this genetically conserved group of M. tuberculosis strains and its association with resistance, active transmission (young age), and other factors. Although the conservation of Beijing genotype strains in Asia is highly pronounced, the conserved population structure of M. tuberculosis in other high-prevalence areas such as Africa also merits further research on the possible development of selective advantages.

Dr. Lan is the director of the National Tuberculous Rreference Laboratory in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and is responsible for science and technology at the Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital (Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Hospital for the South of Vietnam). Her research interests include the microbiology, epidemiology, and molecular biology of tuberculous.

Top

Acknowledgment

This study was financially supported by the European Union project “New generation genetic markers and techniques for the epidemiology and control of tuberculosis” (grant QLK2-CT-2000-00630).

Top

References

  1. van Soolingen  D, Qian  L, de Haas  PE, Douglas  JT, Traore  H, Portaels  F, Predominance of a single genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in countries of east Asia. J Clin Microbiol. 1995;33:32348.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. Chan  MY, Borgdorff  M, Yip  CW, de Haas  PEW, Wong  WS, Kam  KM, Seventy percent of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Hong Kong represent the Beijing genotype. Epidemiol Infect. 2001;127:16971. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Bifani  PJ, Mathema  B, Kurepina  NE, Kreiswirth  BN. Global dissemination of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis W-Beijing family strains. Trends Microbiol. 2002;10:4552. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. Diaz  R, Kremer  K, de Haas  PE, Gomez  RI, Marrero  A, Valdivia  JA, Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in Cuba outside of Havana, July 1994–June 1995: utility of spoligotyping versus IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 1998;2:74350.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  5. Niemann  S, Rusch-Gerdes  S, Richter  E. IS6110 fingerprinting of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in Germany during 1995. J Clin Microbiol. 1997;35:301520.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  6. Martilla  HJ, Soini  H, Eerola  E, Vyshevskaya  E, Vyshnevskyi  BI, Otten  TFA. Ser315Thr substitution in katG is predominant in genetically heterogeneous multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates originating from the St. Petersburg area in Russia. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1998;42:24435.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  7. Kruuner  A, Hoffner  SE, Sillastu  H, Danilovits  M, Levina  K, Svenson  SB, Spread of drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in Estonia. J Clin Microbiol. 2001;39:333945. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  8. Bifani  PJ, Plikaytis  BB, Kapur  V, Stockbauer  K, Pan  X, Lutfey  ML. Origin and interstate spread of a New York City multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clone family. JAMA. 1996;275:4527. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  9. Frieden  TR, Sherman  LF, Maw  KL, Fujiwara  PI, Crawford  JT, Nivin  B, A multi-institutional outbreak of highly drug-resistant tuberculosis: epidemiology and clinical outcomes. JAMA. 1996;276:122935. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  10. Kurepina  NE, Sreevatsan  S, Plikaytis  BB, Bifani  PJ, Connell  ND, Donnelly  RJ, Characterization of the phylogenic distribution and chromosomal insertion sites of five IS6110 elements in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: non-random integration in the dnaA-dnaN region. Tuber Lung Dis. 1998;79:3142. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  11. Anh  DD, Borgdorff  MW, Van  LN, Lan  NTN, van Gorkom  T, Kremer  K, Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing genotype emerging in Vietnam. Emerg Infect Dis. 2000;6:3025. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  12. Quy  HT, Lan  NTN, Borgdorff  MW, Grosset  J, Linh  PD, Tung  LB, Acquired drug resistance among failure and relapse cases of tuberculosis: is the clinical regimen adequate? Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2003;7:6316.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  13. van Embden  JDA, Cave  MD, Crawford  JT, Dale  JW, Eisenach  KD, Gicquel  B, Strain identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by DNA fingerprinting: recommendations for a standardized methodology. J Clin Microbiol. 1993;31:4069.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  14. van Soolingen  D, de Haas  PEW, Kremer  K. Restriction fragment length polymorphism typing of mycobacteria. In: Parish T, Stoker NG, editors. Mycobacterium tuberculosis protocols, Totowa (NJ): Humana Press, Inc.; 2000. p. 165–203.
  15. Kamerbeek  J, Schouls  L, Kolk  A, van Agterveld  M, van Soolingen  D, Kuijper  S, Simultaneous detection and strain differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for diagnosis and epidemiology. J Clin Microbiol. 1997;35:90714.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  16. van Soolingen  D, Qian  L, de Haas  PEW, Douglas  JT, Traore  H, Portaels  F, Predominance of a single genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in countries of East Asia. J Clin Microbiol. 1995;33:32348.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  17. Glynn  JR, Whiteley  J, Bifani  PJ, Kremer  K, van Soolingen  D. Worldwide occurrence of Beijing/W strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a systematic review. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002;8:8439.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  18. Rad  ME, Bifani  P, Martin  C, Kremer  K, Samper  S, Rauzier  J, Mutations in putative mutator genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of the W-Beijing family. Emerg Infect Dis. 2003;9:83845.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Lopez  B, Aguilar  D, Orozco  H, Burger  M, Espitia  C, Ritacco  V, A marked difference in pathogenesis and immune response induced by different Mycobacterium tuberculosis geneotypes. Clin Exp Immunol. 2003;133:307. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar

Top

Table

Top

Cite This Article

DOI: 10.3201/eid0912.030169

Table of Contents – Volume 9, Number 12—December 2003

EID Search Options
presentation_01 Advanced Article Search – Search articles by author and/or keyword.
presentation_01 Articles by Country Search – Search articles by the topic country.
presentation_01 Article Type Search – Search articles by article type and issue.

Top

Comments

Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address:

Dick van Soolingen, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands; fax: +31 30 2744418

Send To

10000 character(s) remaining.

Top

Page created: February 08, 2011
Page updated: February 08, 2011
Page reviewed: February 08, 2011
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
file_external