Fig 4. Minimum spanning tree of Mycobacterium avium complex isolates based on 16 loci variable-number tandem-repeat typing patterns.

Each circle corresponds to a different type identified using variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) genotyping. Heavy lines connecting two VNTR types signify that they are single-locus variants, thin lines connect double-locus variants, and dotted lines (black) connect triple-locus variants. Black circles correspond to a strain isolated from a case for which treatment was initiated during the observation (treated group). Strains were classified into 3 general groups by dotted-line circles.