Multiple strains of Mycobacterium bovis revealed by molecular typing in a herd of cattle.

Mycobacterium bovis isolates from an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in a herd of cattle in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analysed by spoligotyping and variable-number tandem repeat PCR analysis of the mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit and exact tandem repeats. Molecular typing revealed a high genetic diversity of strains in the herd. The genetic diversity could be explained by the introduction of infected animals from different sources.