[Clinical evaluation of a line probe assay kit for the identification of Mycobacterium species and detection of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis].

Multidrug resistance (MDR) involves resistance to both isoniazid and rifampicin, which makes the treatment of tuberculosis very difficult. Extensive drug resistance (XDR) occurs when, in addition to isoniazid and rifampicin resistance, the microorganisms are resistant to a fluoroquinolone and an injectable agent (e.g., kanamycin, amikacin, or capreomycin). Generally, drug susceptibility testing takes more than 3-4 weeks after the initial cultivation. There is an urgent need to identify methods that can rapidly detect both the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the status of drug resistance. This study was aimed at evaluating the line probe assay (LiPA; Nipro Co.), for the identification of Mycobacterium species and detection of mutations associated with antituberculous drugs. We found that LiPA enabled the rapid identification of M. tuberculosis, M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. kansasii. When the results of the LiPA and conventional drug susceptibility tests were compared, there was no difference in the susceptibility to rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and levofloxacin; however, there was a difference in the susceptibility to isoniazid. Thus, LiPA can be used for the rapid identification of Mycobacterium species and the determination of susceptibility to drugs, which can help in the early initiation of appropriate treatment, leading to a reduction in infectiousness.