Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis
Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis - Related Videos
23:06
The MODS method for diagnosis of tuberculosis and multidrug resistant tuberculosis
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Cited by 33 •
2008
The microscopic-observation drug-susceptibility (MODS) assay is a low-cost, low-tech tool for high-performance detection of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB). This video describes the MODS liquid media culture method.
07:35
Demonstrating a Multi-drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Amplification Microarray
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Cited by 4 •
2014
An amplification microarray combines asymmetric PCR amplification and microarray hybridization into a single chamber, which significantly streamlines microarray workflow for the end user. Simplifying microarray workflow is a necessary first step for creating microarray-based diagnostics that can be routinely used in lower-resource environments.
10:43
Expression, Detergent Solubilization, and Purification of a Membrane Transporter, the MexB Multidrug Resistance Protein
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Cited by 5 •
2010
In this protocol we demonstrate the expression, solubilization, and purification of a recombinantly expressed membrane protein, MexB, as a soluble protein detergent complex. MexB is a multidrug resistance membrane transporter from the opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
08:10
Diagnosing Pulmonary Tuberculosis with the Xpert MTB/RIF Test
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Cited by 48 •
2012
The Xpert MTB/RIF test integrates sample decontamination, hands-free operation, on-board sample processing, and ultra-sensitive hemi-nested PCR for the simultaneous detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance, either in expectorated sputum or concentrated sputum sediments, in approximately two hours. Testing is standardized and requires only moderate laboratory infrastructure and training.
09:03
Growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Biofilms
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Cited by 79 •
2012
Mycobacterium tuberculosis forms drug tolerant biofilms when cultured in certain conditions. Here we describe methods for culturing M. tuberculosis biofilms and determining the frequency of drug tolerant persisters. These protocols will be useful for further studies into the mechanisms of drug tolerance in M. tuberculosis.
FAQs
Genetic changes can undermine treatment in two principal ways: they may alter the cellular target affected by a drug, or they may prevent a drug from being activated effectively. The surviving bacilli can then persist despite therapy, allowing resistance traits to become clinically important. Identifying these mechanisms helps researchers connect genotype with drug response and treatment design.
Treatment interruption and poor drug matching create conditions in which susceptible bacilli are suppressed while resistant organisms survive. Continued exposure under those conditions can therefore select for resistant populations rather than clear infection. Resistant strains may also be transmitted to other people, so preventing inadequate therapy is important both for individual outcomes and for limiting onward spread.
Molecular diagnostics can detect genetic signatures associated with resistance, while antimicrobial susceptibility testing evaluates how the organism responds to specific drugs. Used together, they provide complementary evidence: one can rapidly indicate a resistance mechanism, and the other can characterize drug susceptibility. This combined information supports therapy that is better matched to the pathogen’s profile.
An MDR-TB investigation can integrate three evidence streams: molecular testing for resistance-associated changes, antimicrobial susceptibility testing for drug response, and analysis of host immune responses. Considering these findings together links the pathogen’s genetic features with its drug susceptibility and the infected host’s biology. That integrated approach supports more informed infection research and therapeutic planning.
Because treatment challenges reflect both bacterial resistance and host-pathogen interactions, immunology provides a complementary perspective. Studying host responses alongside resistance data can clarify how infection biology relates to therapeutic difficulty. This context supports research on improved therapies and vaccine strategies, rather than treating drug susceptibility as the only relevant feature of infection.
Combination therapy helps guide effective treatment when resistance limits the usefulness of core drugs. At the population level, molecular diagnostics, susceptibility testing, and appropriately matched treatment can help limit transmission and improve clinical outcomes. The same evidence base also informs development of new drugs, vaccines, and broader public-health strategies against resistant infection.