The role of Azeri patients in transmission of tuberculosis to East Azerbaijan, Iran

Introduction: Human migration can transmit infectious disease like tuberculosis (TB) to recipient countries. The IS6110 is an insertion sequence used for strain differentiation of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), epidemiological studies, and recent transmission. In this study, our aim was to investigate transmission TB from the Republic of Azerbaijan to Iran people. Methods: Totally 119 isolates of MTB were collected from 14 patients from Republic of Azerbaijan and 105 patients from East Azerbaijan, Iran who referred to TB centers of the province. Isolates were analyzed by IS6110 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typing. Isolates with identical RFLP patterns were considered a cluster. Results: 93 distinct IS6110-RFLP patterns were revealed. 81 of these patterns were unique, and 12 were shared by 2-8 strains. 38 strains (31.9%) belonged to one of 12 clusters that were found among the total of 119 strains. One of these 12 clusters contained two Iranian patients with one Azeri patient. Conclusion: Finding of the present study indicates that Azeri TB patients refer to TB centers of the province for treatment can transmit TB to East Azerbaijan people. Therefore, it needs to design a suitable program for TB control and decrease transmission of TB between these two countries.