The ins and outs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug susceptibility testing

摘要: Drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the diagnostic laboratory classifies clinical isolates as either drug-'resistant' or drug-'susceptible', on basis their ability to grow presence a 'critical concentration' test compound. From knowledge mechanisms that underlie drug resistance, it has become evident resistance M. is quite heterogeneous and involves low-level, moderate-level high-level phenotypes. Different mutations are associated with different levels phenotypic acquisition genetic alteration leading decrease does not inevitably exclude affected compound from treatment regimens. As result, simple categorization 'resistant' at concentrations' may need be revised supplemented by quantitative measures reflect biological complexity view optimally exploiting compounds available for treatment.