Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment failure detection depends on monitoring interval and microbiological method.

Debate persists about monitoring method (culture or smear) and interval (monthly or less frequently) during treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). We analysed existing data and estimated the effect of monitoring strategies on timing of failure detection.We identified studies reporting microbiological response to MDR-TB treatment and solicited individual patient data from authors.

Phenotypic and genotypic diversity in a multinational sample of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

Objective: To develop and evaluate rapid, molecular-based drug susceptibility testing (DST) for extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), we assembled a phenotypically and genotypically diverse collection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients evaluated for drug resistance in four high-burden countries.

Methods: M. tuberculosis isolates from India (n = 111), Moldova (n = 90), the Philippines (n = 96), and South Africa (n = 103) were selected from existing regional and national repositories to maximize phenotypic diversity for resistance to isoniazid, rifampin (RMP), moxifloxacin, ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, and capreomycin.

Responding to the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis crisis: mainstreaming programmatic management to the Philippine National Tuberculosis Programme.

Setting: The Philippines ranks eighth among 27 priority countries for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

Objective: To describe a model of public-private partnership in MDR-TB management.

Methods: An exploratory study of integrating MDR-TB management initiated in private-public mix DOTS into the National TB Programme (NTP).