RESUMO
The Beijing strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for more than 25% of cases of Tuberculosis in the world, it has a high transmission potential and there is a significant correlation between Beijing strain and multidrug resistance. In this study we compared the presence of Phospholipase C genes in Beijing and Nonbeijing strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. CTAB method was used to extract DNA from positive culture specimens from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Spoligotyping was used to identify Beijing from non-Beijing strains. Presence of Phospholipase C genes was ascertained by using PCR. Of 200 specimens, 19 were Beijing strain, [9.5%] and 181 non Beijing strains, [90.5%]. In Beijing strains, 16 specimens, [84.2%]were positive for plcA,17 [89.5%] were positive for plcB and 17 [89.5%] were positive for plcC genes and in non Beijing strains 17 specimens, [9.4%], were positive for plcA, 18[9.9%], for plcB and 18[9.9%] for plcC. Majority of Beijing strains have phospholipase C genes that may be responsible for the virulence of this strain