title: Rapid alternative methods for detection of rifampicin resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Medicina Tropical 'Pedro Kouri', La Habana, Cuba.
authors.forename: Dihadenys
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lemus
authors.forename: Anandi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montoro
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portaels
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Palomino
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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