Use of a FluoroType® System for the Rapid Detection of Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis-State of the Art Case Presentations

Abstract

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 465,000 cases of tuberculosis caused by strains resistant to at least two first-line anti-tuberculosis drugs: rifampicin and isoniazid (MDR-TB). In light of the growing problem of drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis across laboratories worldwide, the rapid identification of drug-resistant strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex poses the greatest challenge. Progress in molecular biology and the development of nucleic acid amplification assays have paved the way for improvements to methods for the direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in specimens from patients. This paper presents two cases that illustrate the implementation of molecular tools in the recognition of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Keywords: FluoroType MTBDR; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; drug resistance; isoniazid; molecular; rifampin; tuberculosis.

Figure 1

Chest X-ray and CT (a). Chest X-ray, posteroanterior projection. Irregular shape consolidation in the upper zone of the left lung. (b). Chest CT, lung window, coronal image. Various shape and size lung nodules in the left upper lobe. (c) Chest CT, lung window, axial image. The largest lung nodule with spiculated borders is in the left upper lobe. (d) Chest CT, mediastinal window, axial image. Calcifications in lung nodules.

Figure 2

Chest X-ray anteroposterior in a horizontal position. Extensive, parenchymal consolidations in both lungs with low-attenuation areas in upper zones suggest cavitations.