Project Snapshot
Surveillance Pillar
Lineage Analysis of Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Alberta
Project Key Words: TB, MDR-TB, Global
Principal Investigator: Gregory J. Tyrrell, PhD, FCCM, D(ABMM)
Co-Investigator(s): Linda Chui, PhD
The Aim
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This project will focus on determining the global lineage of TB cases that occur in Alberta over the last 15 years. Emphasis will be placed on those TB isolates that display multi-drug resistance (MDR-TB). |
Why is This Important?
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Alberta is experiencing increases in MDR-TB. Greater than 90% of TB cases occur in the foreign born suggesting Alberta experiences a high rate of imported TB. We do not know what lineages of TB constitute our greatest numbers of cases or which lineages are contributing to the highest rates of MDR-TB in Alberta. |
Outcomes
It is expected that specific lineages will be identified that have a higher MDR rate than others.
The data generated will allow Alberta to actively be a part of the global TB community through providing a clear understanding of what TB lineages are affecting Albertans.
Research Questions
- What TB lineages are present in Alberta?
- What is the predominant MDR-TB lineage?
- Are there unrecognized TB clusters in Alberta and are they drug resistant?
- Where else do the lineages seen in Alberta appear?
Our Approach
TB isolates will be analyzed and the resulting data will be used to identify global lineages of TB. We will initially focus on understanding the lineages of MDR-TB.
Major and minor TB lineages will be identified using on line TB lineage analysis tools. In addition, all drug resitance data will be accessed through the Provlab and drug resistant lineages identified.