Emergence of Heteroresistance Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia

Infect Disord Drug Targets. 2020;20(4):491-494. doi: 10.2174/1871526519666190326141550.

Abstract

Purpose: Heteroresistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is defined as a group of drug-susceptible and resistant bacteria in a single clinical specimen from tuberculosis (TB) patients. Heteroresistance of MTB is considered a preliminary stage to full resistance. The present study aimed to determine the heteroresistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Tabuk province, in the north of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Method: GenoType MTBDRplus assay was used to determine mutations associated with isoniazid and rifampicin resistance.

Results: A total number of 46 confirmed M. tuberculosis positive sputum samples were scanned for heteroresistance. The present study revealed 3 (6.5%) heteroresistant mutations to either rpoB gene alone, 2 (4.4%) to rpoB and 1 (2.2%) to inhA genes.

Conclusion: The detection of heteroresistant mutations could guide the initiation of an appropriate regimen of treatment.

Keywords: Heteroresistance; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Tuberculosis (TB); drug resistance; inhA mutation; rpoB mutation.

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial*
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Isoniazid / pharmacology
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Sputum / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology*

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Isoniazid
  • Rifampin