Characterization of embB mutations involved in ethambutol resistance in multi-drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in Zambia.

Background: Ethambutol (EMB) is an important anti-tuberculosis drug used in the management of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Mutations in embB are the major mechanism of resistance. This study investigated embB mutations among MDR-TB isolates and analyzed their correlations with phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) in Zambia.

Characterization of Mutations Associated with Streptomycin Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant in Zambia.

Streptomycin (STR) is recommended for the management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Streptomycin resistance-conferring mutation types and frequency are shown to be influenced by genotypes of circulating strains in a population. This study aimed to characterize the mutations in MDR-TB isolates and examine their relationship with the genotypes in Zambia.

Mutations in rpoB and katG genes and the inhA operon in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Zambia.

Objectives: It is established that resistance to rifampicin (RIF) in 90% of RIF-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates is attributable to point mutations in the rpoB gene, whilst 50-95% of M. tuberculosis resistance to isoniazid (INH) is caused by mutations in the katG gene. However, the patterns and frequencies of mutations vary by geographical region.

Genotypic characterization of pyrazinamide resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from Lusaka, Zambia.

Pyrazinamide forms a core part of treatment for all types of tuberculosis (TB) in Zambia. Due to challenges associated with pyrazinamide testing, little information is available to indicate the frequency of resistance to this drug in Zambia. To determine the frequency of pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance and its correlation with mutation in pncA in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from patients in Lusaka, Zambia, BACTEC MGIT M960 was used for phenotypic PZA susceptibility testing while sequencing was used to determine resistance-conferring mutations in the pncA.

The Prevalence of Tuberculosis in Zambia: Results from the First National TB Prevalence Survey, 2013-2014.

Background: Tuberculosis in Zambia is a major public health problem, however the country does not have reliable baseline data on the TB prevalence for impact measurement; therefore it was among the priority countries identified by the World Health Organization to conduct a national TB prevalence survey.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis among the adult Zambian population aged 15 years and above, in 2013-2014.

Methods: A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in 66 clusters across all the 10 provinces of Zambia.

The Second Zambian National Tuberculosis Drug Resistance survey - a comparison of conventional and molecular methods.

Objective: The prevalence of MDR-TB in Zambia was estimated to be 1.8% in 2001. A second drug resistance survey was conducted in 2008 to determine trends; the use of the Genotype MTBDRplus assay was applied to compare results to the gold standard.

Characterization of Mycobacterium bovis from Humans and Cattle in Namwala District, Zambia.

Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem in Zambia. While human to human transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is of major importance in driving the tuberculosis epidemic, the impact of Mycobacterium bovis transmission from infected cattle is largely unknown. This cross-sectional study aimed at molecular characterization of M.

Isolation and molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from humans and cattle in Namwala District, Zambia.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis in humans, is considered primarily a human pathogen. It has, however, been reported in a wide range of domestic and wild animals, often living in close prolonged contact with humans. Sputum samples in which acid fast bacteria were detected in smears were collected from patients at three health facilities in Namwala district, Zambia.