[Micro-epidemic due to a new Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain among the homeless in Budapest, Hungary]. / Uj Mycobacterium tuberculosis törzs okozta mikroepidémia budapesti hajléktalanokban.

In a retrospective study that included 66 homeless tuberculosis patients a local micro-epidemic was identified in the VIIIth district of Budapest with the highest tuberculosis incidence of the capital. Further molecular genetic characterization by IS 6110 fingerprinting, spoligotyping and mycobacterial inter-spread repetitive unit (MIRU) typing has shown that the observed micro-epidemic was due to a locally emerged, Budapest-specific lineage. The absence of infections with the more virulent Beijing genotype is also noteworthy. The findings indicate that tuberculosis control and prevention steps among the homeless need to be strengthened in Hungary.