Extract
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) are a major public health threat because of reduced treatment options and poor patient outcomes. New antimicrobials and regimens have been developed in recent years, but their effectiveness has been hampered by the rise and spread of drug-resistant strains. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) has emerged as a tool able to revolutionise TB surveillance and the clinical management of TB. This approach is now widely used by public health agencies in detecting outbreaks and transmission chains, thus supporting the formulation of evidence-based health policies. Moreover, WGS can predict the drug-susceptibility profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strains, often in combination with phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination for the optimal clinical management of drug-resistant TB [1].
Abstract
An outbreak of (pre-)extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis was detected in Northern Italy using whole genome sequencing and epidemiological study. This experience suggests that integrated and cross-border surveillance systems should be urgently employed. https://bit.ly/3wtQkBp
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Ester Mazzola and Stefania Torri of the Regional TB Reference Laboratory, ASST Niguarda (Milan, Italy) for their technical contribution in the preliminary molecular assessment of TB samples of the clustered cases hereby described; and Alberto Trovato of the Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit of the IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute (Milan, Italy) for technical assistance in WGS analyses of TB samples.
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: S. Villa has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: E. Tagliani has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: E. Borroni has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: P.F. Castellotti has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Ferrarese has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Ghodousi has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Lamberti has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: S. Senatore has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Faccini has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: D.M. Cirillo has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: L.R. Codecasa has nothing to disclose.
- Received March 22, 2021.
- Accepted May 11, 2021.
- Copyright ©The authors 2021. For reproduction rights and permissions contact permissions{at}ersnet.org