This project proposes to organise the analysis of a large collection of
strains (3 000) from the 31 provinces of China and the data will be compared to
the characteristics of strains collected in other countries. This will produce
knowledge on the diversity of Chinese TB strains and show whether the dispersion
of the Beijing type is of clonal origin.
The Beijing genotype is prevalent in China. Strains of a similar genotype are
found worldwide, particularly in Eastern Europe and in the countries of the
former Soviet Union, and are often associated with multidrug-resistance. The
very rapid and efficient dispersion of the Beijing strains suggest that they may
have developed selective advantages.
The present SSA aims at preparing the project in collaboration with Chinese
scientists, transfer the technical knowledge, follow the progress of the
experiments, collect the data in a shared-database and produce population
The different partners will first define the characteristics of the
population to be included in the protocol, and choose the appropriate methods
for genotyping and multidrug-resistance (MDR) assessment. Data on the BCG
status, age and gender of the patients as well as other relevant clinical
information will be collected. Technical knowledge will be transmitted when
necessary to Chinese laboratories through exchanges.
In China, a large proportion of the population is infected by
Mycobacterium tuberculosis with 500 000 new cases every year. The
attenuated Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) is the only
available vaccine against TB. However, this vaccine does not provide consistent
protection against TB. Knowledge of the diversity of the M tuberculosis
strains is of major importance to identify M. tuberculosis antigens and
epitopes for new protective vaccines and specific diagnostic reagents.
|2||Dick van Soolingen||National Mycobacteria|
National Institute of Public Health and the Environment
PO BOX 1
NL-3720 BA Bilthoven
|Tel: +31 30 2742363|
Fax: +31 30 2744418