Genotypic Characterization of Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria in Clinical Isolates from Subjects Resident in Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

The emergence and increasing prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains resistant to first and second line anti-tuberculous medications are exacerbating the global TB epidemic. The aim of this study was to genotypically characterize and identify resistant genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nonmycobacterium tuberculosis isolates recovered from clinical specimens of patients infected with Drug Resistant Tuberculosis strains and test the isolates against first and second line anti tuberculosis drugs. Three hundred and ninety (390) sputum samples were collected from the study participants in