Antimicrobial Resistance Levels of Non-Tuberculous Bacteria Isolates from Sputum of TB Patients in Ghana.

Background: Patients with tuberculosis (TB) often harbor diverse bacteria in their sputum, including both commensal and opportunistic pathogens. This study aimed to characterize the sputum microbiota of TB patients before and after the intensive phase of anti-TB treatment and assess changes in bacterial diversity and antibiotic resistance profiles.

Methods: A total of 162 patients with TB (128 males, 34 females; age range 18-82 years) provided sputum samples at baseline, of which 72 provided follow-up sputum after two months of intensive phase treatment.

Tuberculosis patients with diabetes co-morbidity experience reduced complex clearance.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on tuberculosis (TB) treatment response using bacterial clearance as a surrogate marker.

Method: We compared smear microscopy, culture, and tuberculosis molecular bacterial load assay (TB-MBLA) for treatment monitoring. Following that, bacterial clearance was longitudinally monitored among TB-only (TB without DM) and TB-diabetes (TBDM) patients using TB-MBLA.

Tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus: The complexity of the comorbid interactions.

The double burden of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a major public health challenge that demands urgent and integrated approaches. The interplay between these two chronic conditions presents unique clinical and public health management challenges, as well as social and economic implications. We explored the bidirectional relationship between TB and DM, emphasizing how DM increases susceptibility to TB and complicates its management, while TB may exacerbate glycemic control in diabetic patients.

Opinion review of drug resistant tuberculosis in West Africa: tackling the challenges for effective control.

Drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) is a major public health concern globally, complicating TB control and management efforts. West Africa has historically faced difficulty in combating DR-TB due to limited diagnostic skills, insufficient access to excellent healthcare, and ineffective healthcare systems. This has aided in the emergence and dissemination of DR complex (MTBC) strains in the region.

Macrophage susceptibility to infection by Ghanaian complex lineages 4 and 5 varies with self-reported ethnicity.

Background: The epidemiology of complex (MTBC) lineage 5 (L5) infections in Ghana revealed a significantly increased prevalence in Ewes compared to other self-reported ethnic groups. In that context, we sought to investigate the early phase of tuberculosis (TB) infection using infection of macrophages derived from the blood of Ewe and Akan ethnic group volunteers with MTBC L4 and L5 strains.

Methods: The study participants consisted of 16 controls, among which self-reported Akan and Ewe ethnicity was equally represented, as well as 20 cured TB cases consisting of 11 Akans and 9 Ewes.

Analysis of drug resistance among difficult-to-treat tuberculosis patients in Ghana identifies several pre-XDR TB cases.

Background: Resistance to tuberculosis (TB) drugs has become a major threat to global control efforts. Early case detection and drug susceptibility profiling of the infecting bacteria are essential for appropriate case management. The objective of this study was to determine the drug susceptibility profiles of difficult-to-treat (DTT) TB patients in Ghana.

Molecular epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis in Northern Ghana identifies several uncharacterized bovine spoligotypes and suggests possible zoonotic transmission.

Objective: We conducted an abattoir-based cross-sectional study in the five administrative regions of Northern Ghana to determine the distribution of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) among slaughtered carcasses and identify the possibility of zoonotic transmission.

Methods: Direct smear microscopy was done on 438 tuberculosis-like lesions from selected cattle organs and cultured on Lowenstein-Jensen media. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) isolates were confirmed as members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) by PCR amplification of IS6110 and rpoß.

Relevance of genomic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in Africa.

Background: The diversity in the lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) was initially considered insignificant. However, comparative genomics analysis of MTBC have found genomic variation among the genotypes with potential phenotypic implications.

Objective: Therefore, this viewpoint seeks to discuss the impact of the identified genotypic diversity on the physiology of MTBC and the potential implications on TB control.

Genetic Analysis of TB Susceptibility Variants in Ghana Reveals Candidate Protective Loci in and Genes.

Despite advancements made toward diagnostics, caused by (Maf) and (Mtbss) remains a major public health issue. Human host factors are key players in (TB) outcomes and treatment. Research is required to probe the interplay between host and bacterial genomes.

Bacterial Load Comparison of the Three Main Lineages of Complex in West Africa.

Studies have shown an association between bacterial load and virulence; however, not much is known about the diversity in this phenotypic characteristic of complex (MTBC). This study was therefore aimed to determine the differences in bacterial load of the three most prevalent MTBC genotypes (L4, L5, and L6) in West Africa at the time of diagnosis. A total of 170 paired fresh sputum samples were collected; one part in guanidinium thiocyanate (GTC) was used for RNA extraction and tuberculosis molecular bacterial load assay (TB-MBLA), and the other part without GTC was confirmed for TB positivity using GeneXpert MTB/RIF, smear microscopy grading, and culture on Löwenstein-Jensen media slants.

Genotypic and phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex genotypes prevalent in West Africa.

Findings from previous comparative genomics studies of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) suggest genomic variation among the genotypes may have phenotypic implications. We investigated the diversity in the phenotypic profiles of the main prevalent MTBC genotypes in West Africa. Thirty-six whole genome sequenced drug susceptible MTBC isolates belonging to lineages 4, 5 and 6 were included in this study.

The Relevance of Genomic Epidemiology for Control of Tuberculosis in West Africa.

Tuberculosis (TB), an airborne infectious disease caused by complex (MTBC), remains a global health problem. West Africa has a unique epidemiology of TB that is characterized by medium- to high-prevalence. Moreover, the geographical restriction of to the sub-region makes West Africa have an extra burden to deal with a two-in-one pathogen.

Molecular epidemiology and drug susceptibility profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from Northern Ghana.

Objective: We conducted a cross-sectional study in the five administrative regions of Northern Ghana to determine the diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) sub/lineages and their susceptibility to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF).

Methods: Sputum specimens were collected and cultured from 566 pulmonary tuberculosis patients reporting to 17 health facilities from 2015 to 2019. Mycobacterial isolates obtained from solid cultures were confirmed as members of the MTBC by PCR amplification of IS6110 and rpoß and assigned lineages and sub-lineages using spoligotyping.

Molecular epidemiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in the Volta Region of Ghana.

Context: Available molecular epidemiological data from recent studies suggest significant genetic variation between the different lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the MTBC lineages might have adapted to different human populations.

Aim: This study sought to determine the population structure of clinical MTBC isolates from the Volta Region of Ghana.

Methods: The MTBC isolates obtained from collected sputum samples were identified by PCR detecting of IS6110 and genotyped using spoligotyping.

Genomic epidemiological analysis identifies high relapse among individuals with recurring tuberculosis and provides evidence of recent household-related transmission of tuberculosis in Ghana.

Objective: To retrospectively investigate the cause of recurring tuberculosis (rcTB) among participants with pulmonary TB recruited from a prospective population-based study conducted between July 2012 and December 2015.

Methods: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates obtained from rcTB cases were characterized by standard mycobacterial genotyping tools, whole-genome sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis carried out to assess strain relatedness.

Results: The majority (58.

A molecular and epidemiological study of Vibrio cholerae isolates from cholera outbreaks in southern Ghana.

Cholera remains a major global public health threat and continuous emergence of new Vibrio cholerae strains is of major concern. We conducted a molecular epidemiological study to detect virulence markers and antimicrobial resistance patterns of V. cholerae isolates obtained from the 2012-2015 cholera outbreaks in Ghana.

Whole Genome Sequencing and Spatial Analysis Identifies Recent Tuberculosis Transmission Hotspots in Ghana.

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is progressively being used to investigate the transmission dynamics of complex (MTBC). We used WGS analysis to resolve traditional genotype clusters and explored the spatial distribution of confirmed recent transmission clusters. Bacterial genomes from a total of 452 MTBC isolates belonging to large traditional clusters from a population-based study spanning July 2012 and December 2015 were obtained through short read next-generation sequencing using the illumina HiSeq2500 platform.

Molecular epidemiology and whole genome sequencing analysis of clinical Mycobacterium bovis from Ghana.

Background: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis is a re-emerging problem in both livestock and humans. The association of some M. bovis strains with hyper-virulence, MDR-TB and disseminated disease makes it imperative to understand the biology of the pathogen.

TB-diabetes co-morbidity in Ghana: The importance of Mycobacterium africanum infection.

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) but little is known on TB-Diabetes Mellitus (TBDM) co-morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: Consecutive TB cases registered at a tertiary facility in Ghana were recruited from September 2012 to April 2016 and screened for DM using random blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level. TB patients were tested for other clinical parameters including HIV co-infection and TB lesion location.

OMNIgene SPUTUM: A good transport and decontaminating reagent for tuberculosis testing.

Background: Sputum culture is limited to centralized facilities. Thus, samples require transportation from peripheral laboratories to these facilities, compromising specimen quality since it is difficult to maintain cold chain. We evaluated OMNIgene SPUTUM Reagent (OMS) for transporting sputum samples for tuberculosis (TB) testing.

Comparative genomics of Mycobacterium africanum Lineage 5 and Lineage 6 from Ghana suggests distinct ecological niches.

Mycobacterium africanum (Maf) causes a substantial proportion of human tuberculosis in some countries of West Africa, but little is known on this pathogen. We compared the genomes of 253 Maf clinical isolates from Ghana, including N = 175 Lineage 5 (L5) and N = 78 Lineage 6 (L6). We found that the genomic diversity of L6 was higher than in L5 despite the smaller sample size.

Reduced transmission of Mycobacterium africanum compared to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in urban West Africa.

Objective: Understanding transmission dynamics is useful for tuberculosis (TB) control. A population-based molecular epidemiological study was conducted to determine TB transmission in Ghana.

Methods: Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolates obtained from prospectively sampled pulmonary TB patients between July 2012 and December 2015 were characterized using spoligotyping and standard 15-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit variable number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing for transmission studies.

Second-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance testing in Ghana identifies the first extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis case.

Background: Drug resistance surveillance is crucial for tuberculosis (TB) control. Therefore, our goal was to determine the prevalence of second-line anti-TB drug resistance among diverse primary drug-resistant complex (MTBC) isolates in Ghana.

Materials And Methods: One hundred and seventeen MTBC isolates with varying first-line drug resistance were analyzed.

Isolation and characterization of nontuberculous mycobacteria from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Ghana.

Objective/background: Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) species are assuming public health importance in pulmonary diseases; they are increasingly being isolated, and importantly, most NTMs do not respond to routine tuberculosis (TB) drugs. This study aimed to identify NTMs isolated from pulmonary TB cases and also determine their susceptibility to streptomycin (STR), isoniazid (INH), and rifampicin (RIF).

Methods: A total of 1755 mycobacterial isolates, obtained between August 2012 and July 2014, from 2036 smear-positive pulmonary cases were identified using polymerase chain reaction amplification of IS6110, and hsp65 gene sequencing analysis.

The First population structure and comparative genomics analysis of Mycobacterium africanum strains from Ghana reveals higher diversity of Lineage 5.

Objective/background: Mycobacterium africanum (MAF) remains an important TB causing pathogen in West Africa; however, little is known about its population structure and actual diversity which may have implications for diagnostics and vaccines. We carried out comparative genomics analysis of candidate Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and MAF using whole genome sequencing.

Methods: Clinical MTB complex strains (n=187) comprising L4 (n=22), L5 (n=126), and L6 (n=39) isolated over 8years from Ghana were whole genome sequenced.