Background: With the rise in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, there is a search for newer techniques that will rapidly detect drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although molecular techniques can detect resistance, culture is still considered gold standard, especially in resource-limited settings where quick, cheap, and easy techniques are needed. The aim of the study was to evaluate microcolony method thin layer agar (TLA) for quick detection of resistance against the first- and second-line antituberculous drugs in clinical isolates. This was a cross-sectional study performed at Aga Khan University Hospital. Material and Methods: A total of 87 Z-N stain smear-positive pulmonary samples were received and indirect drug susceptibility test (ID-DST) was performed using Lowenstein–Jensen and mycobacteria growth indicator tube. Direct DST was performed using TLA on 7H10 agar. TLA was observed twice weekly under microscope for 4 weeks. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated for TLA using indirect susceptibility method as the gold standard. Level of agreement was calculated using Kappa score. Results: TLA showed sensitivity of 89% and 95.2% for isoniazid and rifampicin, while for ethionamide, ofloxacin, and injectable aminoglycosides, it was 96.6%, 92.1%, and 100%, respectively. Specificity for the first-line drugs was >95% while second-line drugs ranged from 70% to 100%. Mean time to positivity was 10.2 days by TLA as compared to 43.1 days by ID-DST. Conclusions: TLA is a quick and reliable method in identifying resistance, especially in resource-limited settings. However, additional liquid culture can be set up as backup, especially in patients on therapy to avoid false negative results.

Background: MTBDRplus line probe assay (LiPA) has been endorsed by the World Health Organization for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. However, its value for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) detection in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) needs exploration. This study determined the diagnostic performance of MTBDRplus in BAL for MTB complex detection and isoniazid/rifampicin resistance in smear-negative and sputum scarce patients. Materials and Methods: Retrospective evaluation of data (January–December 2013) from patients who underwent bronchoscopy was done. Of these, patients with high TB suspicion with available data on acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear/culture and MTBDRplus were selected. Results of MTBDRplus were compared with AFB smear/culture and drug susceptibility. Sensitivity and specificity of MTBDRplus was determined using TB culture as gold standard. Results: Data on 383 patients who underwent bronchoscopy were collected. Of these, 154 previously untreated TB suspect patients that were either smear negative on sputum microscopy or sputum scarce were selected. Out of 154 patients, 11 were smear positive and 34 patients were AFB culture positive. MTBDRplus detected MTB in 23/34 cases, the sensitivity and specificity being 67.6% and 85% (P < 0.001) versus 32.4% and 100% (P < 0.001) compared to smear microscopy. All smear-positive cases (n = 11) were detected by MTBDRplus. There were no discrepancies between phenotypic drug susceptibility testing and LiPA for isoniazid and rifampicin resistance in patients. Two cases of multidrug-resistant TB were detected. Conclusion: MTBDRplus detected TB more rapidly and accurately than smear microscopy with significant accuracy for isoniazid and rifampicin resistance. Its use in clinical practice would lead to rapid detection and effective management.

Background: Tuberculous (TB) spondylitis occurs in <1% of patients with TB. Atlantoaxial involvement is extremely rare amounting to 0.3%–1% cases of TB spondylitis. The management of this entity has been fluctuating with time. Various classifications and management protocols have also evolved. We present our experience in managing this entity in 8 patients. Materials and Methods: Retrospective follow-up study of eight patients with atlantoaxial TB over 2 years. They ranged in age from 14 to 33 years with male preponderance. Four required surgical intervention on initial presentation, 2 were successfully treated conservatively, and 2 had to undergo surgery after a trial of conservative management. All of them were started on antituberculous therapy (ATT) for 18 months. Patients were followed up for 8–29 months. Results: Neck pain and restriction of neck movements were standard presenting features. All patients had pulmonary TB confirmed by sputum examination. Radiological investigations formed an integral part of the evaluation of disease, treatment plan, and prognosis. Improvement in symptoms has been documented in all eight. Conclusion: The involvement of the most mobile spinal segment and the potential cervicomedullary compression makes it a disease of utmost importance. Although ATT remains the mainstay of treatment, surgical intervention is needed for stabilizing the joint and decompressing the cervicomedullary junction. Strict adherence to medical advice and optimum surgical intervention tailored for each patient results in the successful management of the disease.

Background: The pediatric population is at increased risk of disseminated and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB). There is little information on children affected by this entity. The demographic, clinical, and outcome characteristics of the treatment of children with extrapulmonary TB, treated at a national reference institution between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2016, are described and analyzed in this work. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study. Cases of extrapulmonary TB were identified, and variables were collected based on each criterion used for diagnosis and treatment outcomes. A descriptive analysis of the variables collected was performed. Results: Ninety-three cases were identified, of which 32 (34.4%) met the criteria for extrapulmonary TB. The mean age was 10.2 years (range 0.8–17 years), and the most frequent site of extrapulmonary TB was lymph node 40.6%, meningeal 21.9%, and ocular 18.8%. Bacteriological confirmation was obtained in 8 cases (25%) while the remaining 24 cases (75%) were classified as cases of clinically diagnosed TB. Two patients (6.2%) died during treatment although their decease was not attributable to TB. Conclusion: The clinical criterion was fundamental to establish the diagnosis. The microbiological isolation rate was low. Molecular biology tools increase bacteriological performance although their extended use is limited by cost. Regional multicenter studies are required to identify the target population and the tools necessary for timely management and treatment.

Background: The possibility of inter-human transmission of Mycobacterium abscessus in cystic fibrosis centres has been recently hypothesized suggesting the need for the molecular characterization of strains isolated from such patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred and forty one isolates of M. abscessus grown from sputum samples of 29 patients with cystic fibrosis were genotyped resorting to variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) determination and whole genome sequencing (WGS). Results: Out of 29 VNTR profiles, 15 were unique to the same number of patients while seven were shared by multiple patients. WGS showed that only two of the patients sharing common VNTR patterns were indeed infected by the same strain. The shared VNTR patterns were mostly present among the isolates of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus. Conclusion: As expected WGS showed a clearly higher discriminatory power in comparison with VNTR and appeared the only molecular epidemiology tool suitable to effectively discriminate the isolates of M. abscessus subsp. abscessus.

Background: Enzymes responsible for cell wall development in Mycobacterium tuberculosis are considered as potential targets of anti-tuberculosis (TB) agents. Mycobacterial cyclopropane mycolic acid synthase 1 (CmaA1) is essential for mycobacterial survival because of its critical role in synthesizing mycolic acids. Materials and Methods: We screened compounds that were capable of interacting with the mycobacterial CmaA1 active site using a virtual compound library with an in silico structure-based drug screening (SBDS). Following the selection of such compounds, their antimycobacterial activity was examined. Results: With the in silico SBDS, for which we also used DOCK-GOLD programs and screening methods that utilized the structural similarity between the selected active compounds, we identified two compounds with potent inhibitory effects on mycobacterial growth. The antimycobacterial effect of the compounds was comparable to that of isoniazid, which is used as a first-line anti-TB drug. Conclusion: The compounds identified through SBDS were expected to be a novel class of anti-TB pharmacophores.

Background: Patients in countries endemic for chronic viral hepatitis are more vulnerable to antituberculosis therapy-induced liver disorders (ATT-LDs). The aim of this study was to explore the role of cholecalciferol in prophylaxis against ATT-LD among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) receiving ATT. Material and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based, prospective, randomized, comparative study which included 300 consecutive, naïve patients with pulmonary TB eligible for ATT. The patients were randomly allocated to Group A (150 patients who received ATT) and Group B (150 patients who received ATT with cholecalciferol) who had clinical evaluation, laboratory investigations, and imaging studies. Statistical analysis used student's t-test and Chi-square test were used as appropriate to compare the variables between the study groups. Results: The study population mean age was 35.6 ± 15.3 years. The overall incidence rate of ATT-LD among the study population was 9.3%; the incidence rate was significantly higher among Group A patients compared to those of Group B (13.3 vs. 5.3%;P = 0.001). The onset of ATT-LD was significantly earlier among patients of Group A compared to those of Group B (31.4 vs. 58.7 days,P = 0.027), while the duration of ATT-LD was significantly longer among patients of Group A compared to those of Group B (34.8 vs. 16.9 days,P = 0.009). No adverse effects related to cholecalciferol use were observed. Conclusions: Adjuvant cholecalciferol supplementation may be protective against ATT-LD without extra adverse effects. Before recommending the routine use of cholecalciferol supplementation for prevention of ATT-LD, larger scale studies are recommended.

Background: The first line anti-tuberculosis drug pyrazinamide (PZA) is important when treating PZA susceptible multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Several drug resistance surveys have however reported PZA resistance among a significant proportion of multidrug-resistant (MDR) cases and this undoubtedly highlights the need for accurate and reliable detection of PZA resistance. Unfortunately, the testing of PZA susceptibility is associated with technical difficulties and even though the introduction of pncA sequencing has helped to address this issue, misclassification may still occur. In this study, we determined the prevalence and characteristics of PZA resistance in Swedish MDR-TB strains. Materials and Methods: 153 MDR-TB strains isolated in Sweden between 2003 and 2015 were analyzed for PZA resistance by considering both phenotypic and genotypic data. Results: The phenotypic test showed that 58% of the multidrug-resistant isolates were PZA resistant and the correlation between phenotype and genotype was solid, although a small number of isolates deviate from the expected phenotypic-genotypic pattern. Conclusion: The results indicate that the prevalence of pyrazinamide resistance among Swedish MDR cases is increasing.

Background: The incidence of extrapulmonary and disseminated tuberculosis (TB) cases is increasing worldwide, and this growth significantly impacts TB-related morbidity and mortality. Little is known about the host risk factors for extrapulmonary and disseminated TB. In this study, we examined those risk factors. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of all TB cases admitted to Sultan Qaboos University Hospital from 2006 to 2015. We compared extrapulmonary TB (EPTB) cases with pulmonary and disseminated TB cases. We evaluated the risk factors associated with the development of extrapulmonary and disseminated TB using logistic regression analysis. Results: We reviewed 260 TB cases, of which EPTB comprised 37%, PTB comprised 53%, and disseminated TB comprised 10%. The most common sites of infection in the EPTB group were the lymph nodes and the abdomen. Disseminated TB and TB meningitis were more common in expatriates than in Omanis. Patients with EPTB were less likely to smoke compared to a patient with PTB. Patients with disseminated TB had a higher mortality when compared to patients with EPTB (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.004; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.001–0.054;P = 0.001) and PTB (adjusted OR, 0.022; 95% CI: 0.004–0.115;P = 0.001). Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was the main risk factor for patients with disseminated TB when compared to patients with extrapulmonary and PTB. Conclusion: The rates of extrapulmonary and disseminated TB in Oman are higher than what has been recognized. Expatriates, patients with HIV, and smokers are at high risk for disseminated TB. In these patients, suspected extrapulmonary sites should be evaluated and sampled to exclude disseminated TB.

Background: Tuberculosis is one of the most prevalent diseases in Pakistan. Pakistan has the highest burden of MDR-TB in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Ethionamide is an anti-tuberculous drug frequently used to treat MDR-TB. Its drug susceptibility testing is not easily available in resource limited settings. Since it acts on the same target protein as isoniazid (inhA protein encoded by inhA gene), we sought to find out if phenotypic isoniazid resistance can be a marker of ethionamide resistance. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at the Aga Khan University hospital section of microbiology. Data was retrieved between 2011 to 2014 for all culture positive MTB strains. All culture positive MTB isolates with susceptibilities to isoniazid and ethionamide recorded were included in the study. Isoniazid and ethionamide susceptibilities were performed using agar proportion method on Middlebrook 7H10 agar. Rate of Ethionamide resistance between low-level isoniazid resistant, high level isoniazid resistant and isoniazid sensitive MTB was compared. Results: A total of 11,274 isolates were included in the study. A statistically significant association (P < 0.001) was found between Ethionamide resistance and low-level isoniazid resistance (26.6%) as compared to high-level isoniazid resistance (8.85%) and isoniazid sensitivity (0.71%) in MTB strains. However this association was not seen in XDR-TB strains. Conclusion: Low level isoniazid resistance may be used as marker for phenotypic ethionamide resistance and hence guide clinicians' choice of antituberculous agent for MDR-TB in Pakistan. Further studies involving detection of genotypic association of isoniazid and ethionamide susceptibilities are needed before a final conclusion can be derived.

Background: Recent advances in nanotechnology-based drug delivery system have been shown to improve either antibacterial efficacy or pharmacokinetics behavior.The aim of this study was to design a rifampin nanoparticle (RIF-NP) which has a high loading capacity with the slow release profile. Material and Methods: The designed chitosan/gelatin/lecithin (Chg/L) RIF-NPs were prepared by multilamellar vesicle. Thereafter, the particle size, zeta potential, morphology, and release rate were investigated. To optimize the loading capacity and release profiles, different concentrations of lecithin were used. Results: Our results showed a correlation of lecithin concentration with size, zeta potential, and loading capacity of RIF-NPs. Increases in lecithin concentration (0.2–2.0 g) could cause a significant size reduction in NPs (250–150 nm); the amount of zeta potential (from 14 to 49 mV;P < 0.05) and loading capacity increases from 8% to 20% (P < 0.05). Designed NPs had slow drug release profile which was influenced by pH and lecithin concentration. The cumulative percentage of RIF released at pH 7.4 was approximately 93% up to 12 h. In overall, release profile was better than standard drug, even in various pH conditions (pH = 1, 3.4, and 7.4). The Chg/L-RIF NPs may be considered as a promising drug nanocarrier. Conclusions: These NPs release RIF in slow and constant rate, which effectively might eliminate the bacilli and prevent the formation of RIF-resistant bacilli.

Background: Isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been mainly attributed to mutations in katG (64%) and inhA (19%). However, 20%–30% resistance to INH cannot be explained by mutations alone. Hence, other mechanisms besides mutations may play a significant role in providing drug resistance. Here, we explored the role of 24 putative efflux pump genes conferring INH-resistance in M. tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: Real-time expression profiling of the efflux pump genes was performed in five INH-susceptible and six high-level INH-resistant clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis exposed to the drug. Isolates were also analyzed for mutations in katG and inhA. Results: Four high-level INH-resistant isolates (minimum inhibitory concentration [MIC] ≥2.5 mg/L) with mutations at codon 315 (AGC-ACC) of katG showed upregulation of one of the efflux genes Rv1634, Rv0849, efpA, or p55. Another high-level INH-resistant isolate (MIC 1.5 mg/L), with no mutations at katG or inhA overexpressed 8/24 efflux genes, namely, Rv1273c, Rv0194, Rv1634, Rv1250, Rv3823c, Rv0507, jefA, and p55. Five of these, namely, Rv0194, Rv1634, Rv1250, Rv0507, and p55 were induced only in resistant isolates. Conclusion: The high number of efflux genes overexpressed in an INH-resistant isolate with no known INH resistance associated mutations, suggests a role for efflux pumps in resistance to this antituberculous agent, with the role of Rv0194 and Rv0507 in INH resistance being reported for the first time.

A case of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower limb in the absence of known common risk factors and its link with underlying pulmonary tuberculosis is described in a young female patient. Possible underlying mechanisms and awareness regarding tuberculosis as a risk factor for DVT is also emphasized.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health problem. Awareness of liver injury due to anti-TB therapy is vital because fulminant hepatic failure is a devastating and often fatal condition without liver transplantation. Here, we report for the first time, two patients of fatal liver injury due to anti-TB drugs in the presence of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Based on the triad of rapid loss in hepatocyte function, the onset of hepatic encephalopathy, and absence of a prior history of liver disease, the diagnosis of acute liver failure was established. Both patients had low levels of serum alpha-1 antitrypsin, consistent with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Despite aggressive medical therapy and supportive care, patients developed multi-organ failure and died. It seems measuring the serum levels of alpha 1-antitrypsin before beginning anti-TB therapies is necessary, especially when there is emphysema or bronchiectasis.

Causes of lytic bone lesions include benign, malignant, and infectious processes. Lytic lesions due to tuberculosis (TB) may closely mimic those due to tumors such as bone cyst, osteoblastoma, osteosarcoma, and metastatic bone disease radiologically. Histopathology and culture help in definitive diagnosis and prompt management. We describe an immunocompetent patient with isolated lytic bone lesion in the distal part of ulna due to TB to make the readers aware of such unusual presentations of TB.

We report two cases of patients with biopsy-proven idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who were treated with new antifibrotic agent for pirfenidone for more than 12 months. Both cases developed cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) proven by positive sputum TB culture. Both cases were treated with standard anti-TB drugs for 9 months and had complete clinical and radiological resolution. To our knowledge, these are the first reported human cases of patients with IPF who have been on pirfenidone and developed cavitary pulmonary TB.

Tenosynovitis is an uncommon presentation of Type 1 reaction in leprosy. Herein, we report a case of bilateral tenosynovitis of wrist joints who after being unsuccessfully treated by a rheumatologist for several months, was finally diagnosed as a case of Hansen's disease (borderline lepromatous) with Type 1 reaction.

Here, we present possible death caused by Mycobacterium gordonae infection in a patient with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Our patient was severely immunocompromised in whom we suspect to an infection, but we did not have isolates until she died. After she died, we received a positive sputum culture of M. gordonae. We conclude that when having severely immunocompromised patients with suspicion of infection but without isolates we should always consider the saprophytic mycobacteria. These mycobacteria require a long period of isolation, but patients with these mycobacteria are potentially curable if appropriate treatment is applied for a sufficiently long period.

Disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (DMAC) has historically been described in the immunocompromised. The current epidemiologic research suggests that the incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections is increasing. We present a case of DMAC infection manifesting as hepatic granulomas in a 35-year-old immunocompetent female. This case suggests DMAC infection in a patient without traditional epidemiological risk factors.

Tubercular infection of hydatid cyst of the chest wall in an immunocompetent individual is rare. Immune modulation for symbiosis between host cells and the parasite - Echinococcus granulosus favors tubercular infection. In this case report, we describe a case of both these chronic diseases coexisting together, to present as chest wall mass.