Accuracy of whole genome sequencing to determine recent tuberculosis transmission: an 11-year population-based study in Hamburg, Germany

Controlling human-to-human tuberculosis (TB) transmission is key for achieving the targets of the “End TB strategy” set by the World Health Organization [1, 2]. Stopping TB transmission in large cities especially is a challenging top-priority worldwide [3]. Metropolitan areas have higher TB case notification rates than the rest of the countries as they concentrate high risk groups, such as homeless, drug users, and migrants often from (other) high TB incidence settings. Opportunities for transmission are amplified by population density and complex social interactions, regularly leading to large, temporally extended transmission networks [3]. Footnotes This manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the European Respiratory Journal . It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJ online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article. Conflict of interest: Dr. Diel has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Kohl has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Maurer has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Merker has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Hannemann has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Nienhaus has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: Dr. Supply reports other from Genoscreen, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Niemann reports grants from German Center for Infection Research, grants from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany's Excellence Strategy – EXC 22167-390884018“, grants from Leibniz Science Campus EvoLUNG, during the conduct of the study. Conflict of interest: Dr. Meywald-Walter has nothing to disclose.