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Tracking the evolution of an extensively drug-resistant cross-border Mycobacterium tuberculosis cluster, Europe, January 2016 up to August 2025: implications for European surveillance
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View Affiliations Hide AffiliationsCorrespondence:Daniela Maria Cirillocirillo.daniela hsr.it
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Citation style for this article: . Tracking the evolution of an extensively drug-resistant cross-border Mycobacterium tuberculosis cluster, Europe, January 2016 up to August 2025: implications for European surveillance. Euro Surveill. 2025;30(46):pii=2500838. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.46.2500838 Received: 02 Nov 2025; Accepted: 18 Nov 2025
Abstract
The emergence and spread of an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 4.8 cluster in Europe raises public health concerns. First reported in 2020 across Romania, Italy and the United Kingdom, this cluster progressed from multidrug-resistant (MDR) and pre-extensively drug-resistant (pre-XDR) to XDR, including resistance to pretomanid. Evidence of ongoing local transmission is available for Italy, where 10 cases were reported from 2021 to 2025. Strengthened whole genome sequencing-based surveillance is needed to inform timely, coordinated public health responses.
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