The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Proficiency of drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis against pyrazinamide: the Swedish experience

På svenska

Author

  • S. Hoffner
  • K. Angeby
  • Erik Sturegård
  • B. Jonsson
  • A. Johansson
  • M. Sellin
  • J. Werngren

Summary, in English

BACKGROUND: Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a key drug in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), including multidrug-resistant TB. Drug susceptibility testing (DST) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis against PZA is not included in the World Health Organization's yearly proficiency testing. There is an increasing need to establish quality control of PZA DST. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of PZA DST and to introduce a quality assurance system for the test in Sweden. METHOD: Panels with PZA-susceptible and -resistant isolates were used in three rounds of proficiency testing in all five Swedish clinical TB laboratories and our reference laboratory. All laboratories used the MGIT 960 system. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined and the pncA gene was sequenced to further characterise the 52 panel strains. RESULTS: Good agreement was seen between the phenotypic PZA DST and pncA sequence data, and MIC determination confirmed high levels of resistance. However, in contrast to other drugs, for which correct proficiency test results were observed, specificity problems occurred for PZA DST in some laboratories. CONCLUSIONS: In Sweden, using panel testing, differences were seen in the proficiency of TB laboratories in correctly identifying PZA susceptibility. Improved results were noted in the third round; PZA has therefore been included in yearly proficiency testing.

Publishing year

2013

Language

English

Pages

1486-1490

Publication/Series

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Volume

17

Issue

11

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Topic

  • Respiratory Medicine and Allergy

Keywords

  • tuberculosis
  • pyrazinamide
  • proficiency testing
  • MDR-TB

Status

Published

Research group

  • Clinical Microbiology, Malmö

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1815-7920