Detection of mutations associated with isoniazid resistance in multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of isoniazid resistance-conferring mutations among multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Poland.

Methods: Nine genetic loci, including structural genes (katG, inhA, ahpC, kasA, ndh, nat and mshA) and regulatory regions (i.e. the mabA-inhA promoter and oxyR-ahpC intergenic region) of 50 MDR M. tuberculosis isolates collected throughout Poland were PCR-amplified in their entirety and screened for mutations by direct sequencing methodology.

Results: Forty-six (92%) MDR M. tuberculosis isolates had mutations in the katG gene, and the katG Ser315Thr substitution predominated (72%). Eight (16%) isolates (six with a mutated katG allele) had mutations in the inhA promoter region and two such isolates also had single inhA structural gene mutations. Mutations in the oxyR-ahpC locus were found in five (10%) isolates, of which all but one had at least one additional mutation in katG. Mutations in the remaining genetic loci (kasA, ndh, nat and mshA) were detected in 12 (24%), 4 (8%), 5 (10%) and 17 (34%) MDR isolates, respectively. All non-synonymous mutants for these genes harboured mutations in katG. One isolate had no mutations in any of the analysed loci.

Conclusions: This study accentuates the usefulness of katG and inhA promoter mutations as predictive markers of isoniazid resistance. Testing only for katG 315 and inhA -15 mutations would detect isoniazid resistance in 84% of the MDR M. tuberculosis sample. This percentage would increase to 96% if the sequence analysis was extended to the entire katG gene. Analysis of the remaining genetic loci did not contribute greatly to the identification of isoniazid resistance.