In-Depth Molecular Characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from New Delhi – Predominance of Drug Resistant Isolates of the ‘Modern’ (TbD1−) Type
2009

Study of Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in New Delhi

Sample size: 68 publication 10 minutes Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Stavrum Ruth, Myneedu Vithal Prasad, Arora Virendra K., Ahmed Niyaz, Grewal Harleen M. S.

Primary Institution: The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, Norway

Hypothesis

What is the genetic diversity and drug resistance profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in New Delhi?

Conclusion

The study found a high frequency of drug-resistant mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from New Delhi, particularly in the CAS1_DELHI sub-lineage.

Supporting Evidence

  • 46.2% of isolates belonged to the CAS1_DELHI sub-lineage.
  • 15.4% of isolates had mutations conferring resistance to pyrazinamide.
  • 56% of new tuberculosis patients had mutations in either the katG or rpoB genes.

Takeaway

Researchers looked at bacteria that cause tuberculosis in New Delhi and found many of them are resistant to medicines, which makes treating the disease harder.

Methodology

The study analyzed 68 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates using spoligotyping, MIRU-VNTR, and SNP analysis.

Potential Biases

Potential bias due to the small sample size and the specific location of the study.

Limitations

The study was limited to a single hospital in an urban setting, which may not represent the broader population.

Participant Demographics

48% of the patients were male, with a mean age of 30.6 years, and 84.6% were under 45 years old.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.045

Confidence Interval

[1.11, 8.70]

Statistical Significance

p=0.045

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0004540

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