许多研究已在其结核分枝杆菌分离株共享DNA指纹的基础上定义了患者簇。成簇相当于最近的传播,并且对伴随结核分枝杆菌正在高度传播人群亚组来说,与成簇有关的因素已作为指标被找出。在进行和解释这些研究中值得考虑的提醒应予以注意。例如,根据标志物的稳定性和长时间在人群中的菌株数量,某些并非近期传播的原因使菌株组可能完全相同。如果病例对特定人群是新移民或在研究中不是所有人群中的病例都被包括的话,确定由近期传播引发的病例可能不作为成簇被见到。所见的成簇数量将根据研究持续的时间。 在研究的设计、所包括病例的比例、补充和所使用成簇的界定上,研究应给出精确的资料。成簇的数据应至少被年龄、性别和移民状况分开。为了最大的获得信息,研究应涉及一个人群中所有病例的高比例、与传统的流行病学接触调查结合进行(如果可能的话)、并且提供人群中结核病发病资料和患者的年龄、性别、人类免疫缺损病毒状况、耐药性及社会和种族组资料。关键词:结核病;分子流行病学;DNA指纹;RFLP;传播; Many studies have defined patient clusters based on the shared DNA fingerprinting of their M. tuberculosis isolates. Clustering equates to recent transmission, and cluster-related factors have been identified as an indicator for sub-groups that are associated with the high prevalence of M. tuberculosis. Reminders worth considering in conducting and explaining these studies should be noted. For example, depending on the stability of the marker and the number of strains in the population over a long period of time, some strains may not be nearly identical for the reason that they are not transmitted more recently. Cases identified as being caused by recent transmission may not be seen as clusters if they are newcomers to a particular population or are included in all cases in the study. The number of clusters seen will depend on the duration of the study. The study should give accurate information on the design of the study, the proportions of cases included, the definitions of replenishment and the clusters used. Clustered data should be separated by at least age, gender and immigration status. For maximum access to information, the study should address the high proportion of all cases in a population, in conjunction with traditional epidemiological exposure surveys, if possible, and provide information on the incidence of tuberculosis in the population and age, sex, and human immunization of patients Defective virus status, drug resistance and social and ethnic group information. Keywords: tuberculosis; molecular epidemiology; DNA fingerprinting; RFLP; transmission;