Comparison of a Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat (VNTR) Method for TypingMycobacterium aviumwith Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive-Unit-VNTR and IS1245Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Typing

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Abstract
Mycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) infections are increasing annually in various countries, including Japan, but the route of transmission and pathophysiology of the infection remain unclear. Currently, a variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) typing method using theMycobacterium aviumtandem repeat (MATR) loci (MATR-VNTR) is employed in Japan for epidemiological studies using clinical isolates ofM. avium. In this study, the usefulness of this MATR-VNTR typing method was compared with that of the IS1245-restriction fragment length polymorphism (IS1245-RFLP) typing method and a mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit (MIRU)-VNTR typing method reported previously (V. C. Thibault, M. Grayon, M. L. Boschiroli, C. Hubbans, P. Overduin, K. Stevenson, M. C. Gutierrez, P. Supply, and F. Biet, J. Clin. Microbiol.45:2404-2410, 2007). Seventy clinical isolates identified asM. aviumfrom human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients with MAC infections were used. MATR-VNTR typing using 15 loci distinguished 56 patterns of different allele profiles, yielding a Hunter-Gaston discriminatory index (HGDI) of 0.990. However, IS1245-RFLP and MIRU-VNTR typing yielded HGDIs of 0.960 and 0.949, respectively, indicating that MATR-VNTR has an excellent discriminatory power compared with MIRU-VNTR and IS1245-RFLP typing. Moreover, concomitant use of the MATR-VNTR method and IS1245-RFLP typing increased the HGDI to 0.999. MATR-VNTR typing is inexpensive and easy to perform and could thus be useful in establishing a digital multifacility database that will greatly contribute to the clarification of the transmission route and pathophysiology ofM. aviuminfections.

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