A multiplex PCR assay for the differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex reveals high rates of mixed-lineage tuberculosis infections among patients in Ghana.

ABSTRACT: In low-resource settings with high tuberculosis (TB) burdens, lack of rapid diagnostic methods for detection and differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) is a major challenge affecting TB management. This study utilized comparative genomic analyses of MTBC lineages; M. tuberculosis, M. africanum Lineages 5/6 and M. bovis to identify lineage-specific genes. Primers were designed for the development of a Multiplex PCR assay which was successful in differentiating the MTBC lineages. There was no cross-reaction with other respiratory pathogens tested. Validation of the assay using clinical samples was performed with sputum DNA extracts from 341 clinically confirmed active TB patients. It was observed that 24.9% of cases were caused by M. tuber

SUBMITTER: Owusu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10108843 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature