Publications by authors named "G Groenen"
Article Synopsis
- Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides quick and accurate insights into the transmission of tuberculosis (TB), but raises concerns about personal privacy and public trust.
- Discussions among stakeholders highlighted the need to balance the benefits of WGS in tracing TB sources with the potential harm of stigmatization and discrimination against individuals and communities.
- Public health programs must prioritize transparency, privacy, and community engagement to navigate the ethical challenges posed by real-time WGS in public health investigations.
Background: Use of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay has increased the number of people diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB), especially in South Africa where Xpert is now the initial diagnostic for individuals with TB symptoms. We hypothesized that a proportion of RR-TB patients determined by Xpert can be treated with a rifabutin-containing regimen.
Methods: Rifabutin susceptibility by rpoB mutation was assessed in 349 individuals from South Africa and 172 from Belgium.
Article Synopsis
- The TB incidence rate in the Brussels-Capital Region is significantly higher (3-fold) than in the rest of Belgium, prompting ongoing genetic studies of TB strains from local patients.
- The study, which included genotyping of strains from 945 patients, identified LAM and Haarlem as the most prevalent TB lineages, with a notable presence of Beijing strains among the MDR subgroup, especially in Eastern European patients.
- Despite a high proportion of foreign-born patients (75.7%), the analysis reveals limited trans-national transmission, and overall, the epidemiological situation appears stable, emphasizing the need for funding to support ongoing TB control efforts through molecular epidemiology.
False-positive rifampicin resistance on Xpert® MTB/RIF caused by a silent mutation in the rpoB gene.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis
October 2014
The Xpert® MTB/RIF assay detects the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its resistance to rifampicin (RMP) directly in sputum samples. Discrepant results were observed in a case of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis that was Xpert-resistant but phenotypically susceptible to RMP. Complementary investigations (repeat Xpert, Genotype®MTBDRplus assay and sequencing of the rpoB gene) revealed the presence of a silent mutation in the rpoB gene, leading to the conclusion of a false-positive Xpert result.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Emergence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) represents an enormous challenge to Public Health globally.
Methods: Progression towards XDR-TB was investigated in Belgium, a country with a typically low TB incidence, by analyzing the magnitude, characteristics, and treatment success of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) through a population-based study from 1994 to 2008.
Results: Among the 174 MDR-TB patients, 81% were foreign-born, 48% of these being asylum seekers.