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Life sciences · Journal article
Frontiers in Microbiology · August 11, 2026
Early or partial results. Treat as a signal, not a conclusion.
This is a retrospective genomic characterization of 65 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from Fiji during 2019–2022, identifying lineage distribution, drug resistance patterns, and evidence of community transmission clusters. The study documents circulating strains and transmission networks but does not evaluate interventions or generate comparative evidence on outcomes or epidemiological drivers.
Retrospective genomic epidemiology study. Patients diagnosed with MTBC infection in Fiji during 2019–2022; setting not explicitly specified but inferred as TB programme or laboratory-based.. n = 65. Fiji.
62 of 65 isolates (95.4%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis; 3 (4.6%) were M. bovis Lineage 4 was most common (29/62, 46.8%) 12 transmission clusters identified with epidemiological links in households, schools, and neighbouring communities
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
Clinicians and TB control programmes in Fiji should note the predominance of drug-susceptible strains and the presence of M. bovis, which may indicate zoonotic sources and limitations of routine diagnostics. Integration of genomic surveillance may improve identification of transmission clusters and guide targeted outbreak response.
Descriptive genomic epidemiology study of circulating TB strains in a resource-limited setting, without a comparator or intervention, providing characterization of lineages and transmission patterns but no causal or comparative evidence.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians and TB control programmes in Fiji should note the predominance of drug-susceptible strains and the presence of M. bovis, which may indicate zoonotic sources and limitations of routine diagnostics. Integration of genomic surveillance may improve identification of transmission clusters and guide targeted outbreak response.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health concern in Fiji, but genomic data on the circulating Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) are limited. Methods We analysed 65 MTBC isolates collected during 2019–2022 using whole-genome sequencing to characterize lineage distribution, drug resistance, and transmission patterns. Results Of the isolates, 62 (95.4%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 3 (4.6%) were Mycobacterium bovis. Lineage 4 was the most common (29/62, 46.8%). Genomic analysis identified 12 transmission clusters, with epidemiological links involving households, schools, and neighbouring communities. Most MTBC isolates (57/65, 87.7%) were susceptible to first-line anti-TB drugs; however, 8 (12.3%) carried resistance-associated mutations in katG, rpoB, rrs, or pncA. Treatment outcomes indicated that 20 (30.8%) patients were lost to follow-up. Discussion Detection of M. bovis suggests possible zoonotic transmission and highlights limitations of routine diagnostics. These findings indicate diverse MTBC lineages and localized transmission networks, supporting integration of genomic surveillance into TB control efforts in Fiji.
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