[Evaluation of variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) isolates of Mycobacterium bovis in Algeria].

The discriminatory potency of variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR), based on 7 loci (MIRU 26, 27 and 5 ETRs A, B, C, D, E) was assayed on Mycobacterium bovis strains obtained from samples due to tuberculosis in two slaughterhouses in Algeria. The technique of MIRU-VNTR has been evaluated on 88 strains of M. bovis and one strain of M. caprea and shows 41 different profiles. Results showed that the VNTR were highly discriminatory with an allelic diversity of 0.930 when four loci (ETR A, B, C and MIRU 27) were highly discriminatory (h>0.25) and three loci (ETR D and E MIRU 26) moderately discriminatory (0.11<h<0.25). The four VNTR loci were highly discriminatory be adequate for the first proper differentiation of strains of M. bovis in Algeria. The VNTR technique has proved a valuable tool for further development and application of epidemiological research for the of tuberculosis transmission in Algeria.