More rapid detection of multidrug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the use of a semiliquid culture medium

The paper the results of assays of 649 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains for their drug resistance, by applying the Soton semiliquid medium, which were conducted in 1999 to 2004. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay of the strains for their resistance to streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol have been estimated. These are 89.9 and 97.1%, 96.3 and 87.4%, 95.8 and 93.1%, and 65.8 and 89.2%, respectively. On day 7, resistance to streptomycin, isoniazid, and rifampicin was found by the semiliquid medium in 90.2% of the cases of 325 multidrug-resistant strains. Multidrug resistance could be determined in 80.2% of the strains by the first signs of their growth, i.e. on days 3-5. The proposed method is cost-effective and accessible to any practical laboratory.