2003. Evaluation of genotype MTBC assay for differentiation of clinical Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates

I, and M. microti were unequivocally identified. M. tuberculosis, M. canetti, and M. africanum subtype II showed a unique hybridization pattern. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) comprises the closely related species M. tuberculosis, M. bovis, M. bovis BCG, M. africanum, M. microti, and M. canetti which cause tuberculosis in humans and animals (23, 24, 25). Despite their close genetic relatedness, as demonstrated, e.g., by DNA-DNA hybridization or by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene (4, 5, 6, 10, 13, 14, 24), the members of the MTBC differ in host range and pathogenicity (25). The natural hosts of M. tuberculosis and M. africanum are humans, whereas M. bovis can cause disease in a wide range of domestic or wild animals like cattle or goats, as well as in humans (25). According to their bio-chemical characteristics, two major subgroups of M. africanum, corresponding to their geographic origin in West (subtype I) o