Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis Detection, Latvia

Abstract

To improve multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) detection, we successfully introduced the rpoB gene mutation line probe assay into the national laboratory in Latvia, a country with epidemic MDR-TB. The assay detected rifampin resistance with 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity within 1 to 5 days (vs. 12–47 days for BACTEC).

Keywords

• TB/HIV control
• developing countries
• multidrug-resistant TB, tuberculosis, TB diagnosis, dispatch
• Latvia