Molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in the Cross River State, Nigeria

► This study provides with a first insight on Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex epidemiology and genetic diversity in the Cross River State, Nigeria. ► Majority of the clustered isolates were phylogeographically specific of West Africa; 52% belonged to the LAM10-CAM (Cameroon lineage) of M. tuberculosis, and 33% to the AFRI_2 sublineage of M. africanum. ► Apparently the proportion of evolutionary ancestral M. africanum is gradually decreasing in West-Africa. These strains are being replaced by more successful, evolutionary recent M. tuberculosis, particularly the LAM10-CAM lineage; a significant proportion (10%) was concomittantly multidrug-resistant in this study.