Ritter C., Lucke K., Sirgel F.A., Warren R.W., Van Helden P.D., Böttger E.C., Bloemberg G.V.
Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland; Nationales Zentrum für Mykobakterien, Zurich, Switzerland; Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Ritter, C., Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland, Nationales Zentrum für Mykobakterien, Zurich, Switzerland; Lucke, K., Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland, Nationales Zentrum für Mykobakterien, Zurich, Switzerland; Sirgel, F.A., Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Warren, R.W., Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Van Helden, P.D., Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; Böttger, E.C., Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland, Nationales Zentrum für Mykobakterien, Zurich, Switzerland; Bloemberg, G.V., Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Universität Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
The rapid accurate detection of drug resistance mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for optimizing the treatment of tuberculosis and limiting the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains. The TB Resistance line probe assay from Autoimmun Diagnostika GmbH (AID) (Strassburg, Germany) was designed to detect the most prevalent mutations that confer resistance to isoniazid, rifampin, streptomycin, amikacin, capreomycin, fluoroquinolones, and ethambutol. This assay detected resistance mutations in clinical M. tuberculosis isolates from areas with low and high levels of endemicity (Switzerland, n=104; South Africa, n=52) and in selected Mycobacterium bovis BCG 1721 mutant strains (n=5) with 100% accuracy. Subsequently, the line probe assay was shown to be capable of rapid genetic assessment of drug resistance in MGIT broth cultures, the results of which were in 100% agreement with those of DNA sequencing and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. Finally, the line probe assay was assessed for direct screening of smear-positive clinical specimens. Screening of 98 clinical specimens demonstrated that the test gave interpretable results for>95% of them. Antibiotic resistance mutations detected in the clinical samples were confirmed by DNA sequencing. We conclude that the AID TB Resistance line probe assay is an accurate tool for the rapid detection of resistance mutations in cultured isolates and in smear-positive clinical specimens. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
