Restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of Mycobacterium isolates from rodents in infected cattle farms

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of tuberculosis, causes large-scale morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the drug-resistant ability of M. tuberculosis, triggering a major public health crisis. A detailed analysis of the evolution of the mycobacterial genome helps to better understand the genotype-phenotype relationship in this bacterium. Different strain typing methods have already revealed the worldwide diversity of mycobacterial isolates. Therefore, DNA-fingerprinting tools have been developed to improve tuberculosis case detection and control. Molecular typing techniques allow to detect and follow the spread of individual strains of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTC), complementing conventional epidemiological methods. Among these techniques, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) has been considered the standard method for genotyping of MTC. The aim of this work was to isolate M. tuberculosis from rodents in cattle farms contaminated with MTC located in the city of Booin-Zahra, Iran.