Genetic diversity among Mycobacterium bovis isolates: A preliminary study of strains from animal and human sources

Mycobacterium bovis has the broadest host range of species in the Mycobacte rium tuberculosis complex and is responsible for disease in humans and dive rse animal species. We report on genotypic differences at multiple loci amo ng 13 isolates derived from a range of human and animal infections. All iso lates were classified as M. bovis by phenotypic analysis but could be subdi vided into five distinct genotypes based on polymorphisms at the pncA and o xyR loci, the status of the RD5 deletion region, and the spoligotype patter n. These findings suggest the existence of a spectrum of strains with genot ypic characteristics between those of M. tuberculosis and M. bovis.