We examined the feasibility of using DNA extracted from stained sputum smears for the detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance with the commercial MTBDRplus assay from Hain Lifescience GmbH, Nehren, Germany. Overall sensitivity was initially low (70.0%) but increased to 96.7% when a multiplex PCR preamplification step was added. We then tested stored Mycobacterium tuberculosis-positive stained smears prepared from 297 patients' sputum samples. Species identification and drug susceptibility testing (DST) had been performed at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar. Overall, the performance of the MTBDRplus assay applied to slide DNA was similar to that obtained in other studies with DNA extracted from clinical specimens. With the ready availability of stained smears in routine diagnostic laboratories and their easy transport and storage at room temperature, this approach should be useful for optimizing the treatment of multidrugresistant tuberculosis and for conducting resistance surveys aimed at identifying hot-spot regions and breaking chains of transmission.Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) poses a formidable worldwide challenge for control programs, because of complex diagnostic and treatment issues. Less than 5% of MDR-TB patients are currently being diagnosed, owing to a severe lack of laboratory capacity. Alarming increases in MDR-TB, the emergence of extensively drug resistant TB (XDR-TB), potential institutional transmission, and the rapid progression of HIV-coinfected MDR-TB and XDR-TB patients call for rapid screening methods (25). Novel technologies for rapid detection of anti-TB drug resistance have therefore become a priority in TB research and development, and molecular line-probe assays have already been developed for rapid detection of resistance to rifampin (RIF), isoniazid (INH), fluoroquinolones, and injectable drugs (9, 25).The MTBDRplus assay (Hain Lifescience GmbH, Nehren, Germany) has estimated sensitivities of 91.7% to 100% and 73% to 100% for the detection of RIF and INH resistance, respectively, in clinical strains (1-3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17). However, because of the need for trained staff, specific equipment, and dedicated infrastructure, such tests are currently restricted to specialized laboratories. Even when these tests are available, detection of resistance in developing countries is often restricted by transport and storage of sputum samples from remote locations.It has been shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex DNA present in Ziehl-Neelsen-or auramine-stained smears can be extracted and used in molecular tests (7,19,(21)(22)(23)(24). In this study, we show that the MTBDRplus assay can be applied to DNA extracted from microscopy-positive stained sputum smears from patients with relapse, treatment failure, and newly diagnosed TB.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Stored stained slides.We selected 297 stored smear-positive stained slides prepared from TB patients' sputum samples between January 2003 and March 2010. Species identification and drug susceptibility testing (D...