The present study on molecular and clinical epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) is a nationwide study and combines the collection of clinical information from patient and molecular investigations of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains causing the disease (approximately 600 patients). We will include HIV co-infected and HIV-negative TB patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2008. We also intend to analyse genetic mutations conferring resistance to first-line anti-TB drugs (mono-resistance to isoniazide, rifampicin and ethambutol, as well as multi-drug resistant strains).

It is the first time the genetic diversity of M. tuberculosis in Switzerland is described and it is also the first time that novel genotyping techniques will be applied to M. tuberculosis in an epidemiological study.

Figure: Map of Switzerland showing the distribution of study sites. 
Some regions are referring their culture isolates to one of our collaborating microbiology laboratories (e.g. Canton Graubünden to Lucerne, Zurich and Basel).