Rifampicin resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Vietnam, 2020-2022.

Objective: We conducted a descriptive analysis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Vietnam's two largest cities, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. Methods: All patients with rifampicin resistant tuberculosis were recruited from Hanoi and surrounding provinces between 2020 and 2022. Additional patients were recruited from Ho Chi Minh city over the same time period. Demographic data were recorded from all patients, and samples collected, cultured, whole genome sequenced and analysed for drug resistance mutations. Genomic susceptibility predictions were made on the basis of the World Health Organization's catalogue of mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis associated with drug resistance, version 2. Comparisons were made against phenotypic drug susceptibility test results where these were available. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for previous episodes of tuberculosis. Results: 233/265 sequenced isolates were of sufficient quality for analysis, 146 (63 %) from Ho Chi Minh City and 87 (37 %) from Hanoi. 198 (85 %) were lineage 2, 20 (9 %) were lineage 4, and 15 (6 %) were lineage 1. 17/211 (8 %) for whom HIV status was known were infected, and 109/214 (51 %) patients had had a previous episode of tuberculosis. The main risk factor for a previous episode was HIV infection (odds ratio 5.1 (95 % confidence interval 1.3-20.0); p = 0.021). Sensitivity for predicting first-line drug resistance from whole genome sequencing data was over 90 %, with the exception of pyrazinamide (85 %). For moxifloxacin and amikacin it was 50 % or less. Among rifampicin-resistant isolates, prevalence of resistance to each non-first-line drug was < 20 %. Conclusions: Drug resistance among most MDR-TB strains in Vietnam's two largest cities is confined largely to first-line drugs. Living with HIV is the main risk factor among patients with MDR-TB for having had a previous episode of tuberculosis.

Beijing genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is significantly associated with high-level fluoroquinolone resistance in Vietnam.

Consecutive fluoroquinolone (FQ)-resistant isolates (n = 109) identified at the Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital for Tuberculosis, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, were sequenced in the quinolone resistance-determining regions of the gyrA and gyrB genes and typed by large sequence polymorphism typing and spoligotyping to identify the Beijing genotype of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Beijing genotype prevalence was compared with 109 consecutive isolates from newly presenting patients with pulmonary tuberculosis from the hospital outpatient department. Overall, 82.6% (n = 90/109) of isolates had mutations in gyrAB. Nine novel mutations were identified in gyrB (S486F, N538T, T539P, D500A, D500H, D500N, G509A, E540V, and E540D). The influence of these novel gyrB mutations on FQ resistance is not proven. The Beijing genotype was significantly associated with FQ resistance (odds ratio [OR], 2.39 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.34 to 4.25]; P = 0.003). Furthermore, Beijing genotype FQ-resistant isolates were significantly more likely than FQ-resistant isolates of other genotypes to have gyrA mutations (OR, 7.75 [95% CI, 2.84 to 21.15]; P = 0.0001) and high-level (>8 microg/ml) FQ resistance (OR, 11.0 [95% CI, 2.6 to 47.0]; P = 0.001). The underlying mechanism of the association of the Beijing genotype with high-level FQ resistance in this setting remains to be determined. The association of the Beijing genotype with relatively high-level FQ resistance conferred by specific gyrA mutations reported here is of grave concern given the epidemic spread of the Beijing genotype and the current hopes for shorter first-line treatment regimens based on FQs.

Evaluation of the MODS culture technique for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a devastating condition. The rapid instigation of appropraite chemotherapy is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. However rapid diagnosis remains elusive; smear microscopy has extremely low sensitivity on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in most laboratories and PCR requires expertise with advanced infrastructure and has sensitivity of only around 60% under optimal conditions. Neither technique allows for the microbiological isolation of M. tuberculosis and subsequent drug susceptibility testing. We evaluated the recently developed microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay format for speed and accuracy in diagnosing TBM. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Two hundred and thirty consecutive CSF samples collected from 156 patients clinically suspected of TBM on presentation at a tertiary referal hospital in Vietnam were enrolled into the study over a five month period and tested by Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) smear, MODS, Mycobacterial growth Indicator tube (MGIT) and Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture. Sixty-one samples were from patients already on TB therapy for >1day and 19 samples were excluded due to untraceable patient records. One hundred and fifty samples from 137 newly presenting patients remained. Forty-two percent (n = 57/137) of patients were deemed to have TBM by clinical diagnostic and microbiological criteria (excluding MODS). Sensitivity by patient against clinical gold standard for ZN smear, MODS MGIT and LJ were 52.6%, 64.9%, 70.2% and 70.2%, respectively. Specificity of all microbiological techniques was 100%. Positive and negative predictive values for MODS were 100% and 78.7%, respectively for HIV infected patients and 100% and 82.1% for HIV negative patients. The median time to positive was 6 days (interquartile range 5-7), significantly faster than MGIT at 15.5 days (interquartile range 12-24), and LJ at 24 days (interquartile range 18-35 days) (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We have shown MODS to be a sensitive, rapid technique for the diagnosis of TBM with high sensitivity, ease of performance and low cost (0.53 USD/sample).