Annemarie M. Jordaan

Analysis for a Limited Number of Gene Codons Can Predict Drug Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a High-Incidence Community

ABSTRACT Correct and rapid diagnosis is essential in the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). In this population-based study of 61 patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis, we evaluated the frequency of mutations and compared the performance of genotypic (mutation analysis by dot blot hybridization) and phenotypic (indirect proportion method) drug resistance tests. Three selected codons (rpoB531, rpoB526, and katG315) allowed identification of 90% of MDR-TB cases. Ninety percent of rifampin, streptomycin, and ethambutol resistance and 75% of isoniazid resistance were detected by screening for six codons: rpoB531, rpoB526, rrs-513, rpsL43, embB306, and katG315. The performance (reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity) of the genotypic method was superior to that of the routine phenotypic method, with the exception of sensitivity for isoniazid resistance. A commercialized molecular genetic test for a limited number of target loci might be a good alternative for a drug resistance screening test in the context of an MDR “DOTS-plus” strategy.

Isoniazid-Induced Transient High-Level Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

ABSTRACT An American Type Culture Collection reference strain and eight clinical strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, all of which were susceptible to isoniazid (INH) (mean MIC, 0.06 mg/liter) and negative for the Ser315Thr katG mutation, were left in their BACTEC 12B vials (for use with the BACTEC 460-TB method) containing 0.1 mg of INH per liter for periods of up to 28 days after the completion of the antibiotic susceptibility test. Each eventually grew to levels compatible with those of INH-resistant strains. Successive passages in INH-containing BACTEC 12B vials and onto solid media showed that the resistance noted above was maintained. Successive passages of these M. tuberculosis strains in which INH resistance had been induced into BACTEC 12B vials or solid media containing stepwise increases in INH concentrations eventually yielded organisms resistant to 20 mg of INH per liter. Transfer of cells in which INH resistance had been induced to drug-free medium followed by repeated passages in that medium eventually yielded organisms whose susceptibility to INH was identical to that of the original parent strains. The cycle of induced INH resistance could be repeated with these now INH-susceptible cells. The use of M. tuberculosis identification probes and IS6110-based restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses of cultures throughout the induction of INH resistance and the reversal of resistance in drug-free medium eliminated the possibility that the culture was contaminated or that the initial specimen had a mixed type of infection. Induced high-level resistance to INH (20 mg/liter) could be reduced 100-fold with a subinhibitory concentration of reserpine but not with verapamil. These results collectively suggest that high-level resistance to INH can be induced in INH-susceptible M. tuberculosis strains by the induction of a reserpine-sensitive efflux mechanism.

Molecular detection of early appearance of drug resistance during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Abstract During the early development of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) infection only a small proportion of resistant bacteria are present within a milieu of sensitive bacteria. This complicates the use of molecular methods to predict the presence of a resistant phenotype and has been largely ignored in many of the newly developed molecular methods. In this study, mixtures of DNA from M. tuberculosis strains with known wild-type and mutant sequences were used to evaluate the sensitivity of three different molecular methods for detection of drug resistance. The dot-blot and amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) methods showed sensitivities that approach those of routine phenotypic methods and are able to detect the presence of mutant sequences at a ratio of 1 in 50 (corresponding to 2% mutant sequences). This is 10-fold more sensitive than the commercial kit. The ARMS method was also used to investigate the use of molecular methods to identify mixed infections, and both drug-resistant and susceptible strain populations were identified in a single clinical isolate. These findings highlight the applicability of molecular methods to the rapid detection of drug resistance in tuberculosis patients, particularly in those who are non-compliant and in contacts of known drug-resistant tuberculosis patients, and assistance in limiting the spread of drug-resistant strains.

Molecular analysis of multidrug resistantMycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Morocco

Tuberculosis remains a global threat to public health. Considerable efforts have been made to combat this disease. However, the emergence ofMycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains resistant to the major anti-tuberculosis drugs especially multidrug resistant (MDR) strains poses a deadly threat to control programs. The present study aims to identify the most common mutations within multidrug-resistantM. tuberculosis Moroccan isolates in order to use them as molecular markers for early and rapid detection of multidrug resistant strains. For that, allM. tuberculosis isolates received during 2002–2003 in the National Reference Laboratory of Tuberculosis in Morocco were subject to drug susceptibility tests for rifampicin and isoniazid and to a PCR probe method to detect specific mutation. Sequencing was performed for all genotypic rifampicin resistant isolates and also for four genotypic iso niazid resistant asolates randomly selected. Out of 187M. tuberculosis positive cultures, 46 (24.6%) were phenotypically resistant to both rifampicin and isoniazid. Nucleotide mutations in rpoB531, rpoB526, rpoB516, katG315 and inh-15 codons associated with resistance to rifampin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH) were found respectively in 37/46 (80.4%) and 43/46 (93.5%) isolates. Genotypic multi drug resistance was then confirmed in 74% (34/46) isolates. The mutations at codon 315 ofkatG gene and at codons 531, 526 and 516 ofrpoB gene are frequently found in MDR isolates which confirm their strong implication in the development of multidrug resistant tuberculosis. We concluded that these mutations are useful as molecular markers for detection of multidrug resistant isolates but are not yet sufficient to fully predictM. tuberculosis multidrug resistance.

An overview of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from four Asian countries

An overview of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from four Asian countries