Rapid alternative methods for detection of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To study the performance of three rapid low cost methods for the detection of rifampicin resistance.


METHODS
A panel of 20 coded Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains was tested blindly by the low cost methods: nitrate reductase, MTT and resazurin assays, and compared with the results obtained with the gold standard methods: the proportion method on Löwenstein-Jensen medium and the BACTEC TB 460 system. We have also tested two commercial tests: MGIT and INNO LiPA Rif.TB kit.


RESULTS
Complete agreement was observed among all methods.


CONCLUSIONS
These three simple methods might become inexpensive alternative procedures for rapid detection of rifampicin resistance in low-resource countries.
Lemus
Dihadenys
D
Instituto de Medicina Tropical 'Pedro Kouri', La Habana, Cuba.
Martin
Anandi
A
Montoro
Ernesto
E
Portaels
Françoise
F
Palomino
Juan Carlos
JC
D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003124:Colorimetry; D003470:Culture Media; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D009565:Nitrate Reductases / Q000378:metabolism; D010078:Oxazines; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010568:Peru; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology; D014966:Xanthenes
D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D003470:Culture Media; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010078:Oxazines; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014966:Xanthenes; C005843:resazurin; D009565:Nitrate Reductases; D050901:Nitrate Reductase; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C105078:RNA polymerase beta subunit; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D012293:Rifampin