TY - JOUR T1 - Molecular surveillance of multi- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis transmission in the European Union from 2003 to 201133961 JF - Euro.Surveill Y1 - 2014 A1 - J.L. de Beer A1 - Kodmon,C. A1 - van der Werf,M.J. A1 - J. van Ingen A1 - D. van Soolingen KW - 0 KW - 2009 KW - a KW - Agent KW - Agents KW - an KW - Antitubercular Agents KW - article KW - Case KW - classification KW - Cluster KW - Cluster Analysis KW - CONTACT KW - Contact Tracing KW - Control KW - Countries KW - Diagnosis KW - disease KW - Diseases KW - drug effects KW - ecdc KW - electronic KW - environment KW - EU KW - Europe KW - European KW - European Union KW - Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis KW - factors KW - genetics KW - Genotype KW - health KW - Humans KW - im KW - implementation KW - INFECTION KW - Infection Control KW - Infectious KW - Infectious diseases KW - Institute KW - International KW - investigation KW - IS KW - isolation & purification KW - journal KW - Laboratories KW - Microbial Sensitivity Tests KW - microbiology KW - Minisatellite Repeats KW - Molecular KW - Molecular Typing KW - Mycobacterium KW - Mycobacterium tuberculosis KW - national KW - Netherlands KW - ON KW - Order KW - pattern KW - PATTERNS KW - period KW - pharmacology KW - Phylogeny KW - Polymorphism,Genetic KW - prevent KW - prevention KW - Project KW - public KW - public health KW - Public-health KW - Role KW - SB - IM KW - SCREENING KW - Sentinel Surveillance KW - Spread KW - strain KW - Surveillance KW - The Netherlands KW - Transmission KW - treatment KW - Tuberculosis AB - The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) initiated a project on the molecular surveillance of multi- and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-/XDR-TB) transmission in the European Union (EU) in the period from 2009 to 2011. In total, 2,092 variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) patterns of MDR-/XDR-TB Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were collected, originating from 24 different countries in the period 2003 to 2011. Of the collected VNTR patterns, 45% (n=941) could be assigned to one of the 79 European multiple-country molecular fingerprint clusters and 50% of those (n=470) belonged to one extremely large cluster caused by Beijing strains of one genotype. We conclude that international transmission of MDR-/XDR-TB plays an important role in the EU, especially in the eastern part, and is significantly related to the spread of one strain or clone of the Beijing genotype. Implementation of international cluster investigation in EU countries should reveal underlying factors of transmission, and show how TB control can be improved regarding case finding, contact tracing, infection control and treatment in order to prevent further spread of MDR-/XDR-TB in the EU VL - 19 CP - 11 U1 - 33961 M3 - http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20742 ER -