Genetic loci containing variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR loci) form the basis for human gene mapping and identification, forensic analysis and paternity testing. The variability of bacterial tandem repeats has not been systematically studied. Eleven tandem repeat loci in the M. tuberculosis genome were analysed. Five major polymorphic tandem repeat (MPTR) loci contained 15-bp repeats with substantial sequence variation in adjacent copies. Six exact tandem repeat (ETR) loci contained large DNA repeats with identical sequences in adjacent repeats. These 11 loci were amplified in 48 strains to determine the number of tandem repeats at each locus. The strains bovis BCG substrains. Allele profiles were reproducible and stable, as demonstrated by analyses of multiple isolates of particular reference strains obtained from different laboratories. VNTR typing may be generally useful for strain differentiation and evolutionary studies in bacteria.

The problem of violence against individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) has received relatively, little notice, despite several studies suggesting an exceptionally high prevalence of victimization in this population. This paper describes the results of an investigation of the prevalence and correlates of past year physical and sexual assault among a large sample of women and men with SMI drawn from inpatient and outpatient settings across 4 states. Results confirmed preliminary findings of a high prevalence of victimization in this population (with sexual abuse more prevalent for women and physical abuse more prevalent for men), and indicated the existence of a range of correlates of recent victimization, including demographic factors and living circumstances, history of childhood abuse, and psychiatric illness severity and substance abuse. The research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

The attenuated bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is administered to prevent tuberculosis. Complications of vaccination are uncommon. We report a new case of disseminated BCG disease and review 27 additional cases identified from a review of > 5,000 reports published between 1980 and 1996. Twenty-four of the 28 total cases were associated with an immune deficiency, including nine cases of AIDS. Seventy-one percent of the cases occurred in children younger than 2 years old. Sixty-eight percent of the patients were male. About one-half of the patients were vaccinated in a developed nation, but 85% of the cases were reported from a developed nation. Response to therapy was poor, with an overall mortality rate of 71%. We made two new observations. Disseminated BCG disease has historically been a disease of infants, but cases now occur in adults and older children coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus. Cases also occur after revaccination of individuals who were anergic following the initial administration of BCG vaccine. Disseminated BCG disease is an uncommon but devastating complication of vaccination that should be considered in the appropriate clinical setting. Immunocompromised infants and patients with late-stage AIDS are at greatest risk and respond poorly to standard therapies.