Molecular Epidemiology of Mycobacterium leprae as Determined by Structure-Neighbor Clustering in Korea found cases
- Author:
Jong Pill KIM
1
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Mycobacterium leprae; VNTR; structure-neighbor clustering
- MeSH: Cluster Analysis; Genetic Heterogeneity; Genotype; Korea; Leprosy; Methods; Molecular Epidemiology; Mycobacterium leprae; Mycobacterium
- From:Korean Leprosy Bulletin 2017;50(1):25-42
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
- Abstract: BACKGROUND: It has proven challenging to investigate the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium leprae, the causative agent of leprosy, due to difficulties with culturing of the organism and a lack of genetic heterogeneity between strains. Recently, A panel of variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) markers and an alternative method, structure-neighbor clustering, which assigns isolates with the most similar genotypes to the same groups and, subsequently, subgroups, without inferring how the strains descended from a common ancestor have been developed. METHODS: A total of 29 samples from Korea found cases were studied by 14 VTRN typing and an alternative method, structure-neighbor clustering with 13 and 14 VNTRs by Structure Program(k=10). RESULTS: Only 286 cases of 522 total cases(including database of Bellingham Research Institute) showed p>0.8(in 13 and 14 VNTRs). Almost Korea found cases(18 cases) were included in group 3(13 VNTRs), in group 9(14 VNTRs)(by Structure Program, k=10). CONCLUSIONS: The structure-neighbor clustering by Structure Program with panels of VNTR is a useful approach for investigating the molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium leprae.
