Analysis of δ-globin gene alleles in Tunisians: description of three new delta-thalassemia mutations.

Background: Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent worldwide autosomal recessive disorders characterized by a great molecular and clinical expression heterogeneity. Alpha and beta-thalassemia are the main two types observed in case of mutations affecting alpha and beta-globin genes respectively. Delta-thalassemia is noted when mutations occur on the delta-globin gene.

Association of MP6d9 Polymorphism with Clinical Variability in Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

Background: In this work, we are interested to study for the first time the extragenic polymorphic marker MP6d9 in cystic fibrosis and healthy cohort in Tunisia to establish the contribution of MP6d9 polymorphism in the phenotypic variability of CF patients.

Methods: Our study enrolled 112 CF patients and 100 healthy controls. The analysis of the polymorphic marker MP6d9 was performed using the PCR-RFLP technique.

Genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of tunisian isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.

Forty three isoniazid (INH)-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were characterized on the basis of the most common INH associated mutations, katG315 and mabA -15C→T, and phenotypic properties (i.e. MIC of INH, resistance associated pattern, and catalase activity).

Characterization of Tunisian Mycobacterium tuberculosis rifampin-resistant clinical isolates.

Analysis of the gene encoding the beta-subunit of Mycobacterium tuberculosis RNA polymerase (rpoB) has demonstrated a small region that harbors the mutations most frequently associated with rifampin resistance. In this study, we determined the occurrence of rifampin resistance in 544 Tunisian clinical M. tuberculosis strains isolated in a university hospital between 2004 and 2006 by using the standard-proportion agar method, the INNO-LiPA Rif.