AFB DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY (KCLM) 2ND LINE

Drug susceptibility testing (DST) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis is carried out for patients reported positive for AFB culture. The test provides susceptibility pattern for second line TB drugs – Kanamycin, Capreomycin, Linezolid and Moxifloxacin with higher concentration (2.0 µg/ml). These drugs are tested for Pre – Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (Pre XDR ) cases where first line drugs and one second line drug cannot beused for patients treatment. The test also provides susceptibility against the variousconcentrations of drugs as recommended by WHO (World Health Organization).

DST is a qualitative test based on growth of the Mycobacteriumtuberculosis complex (MTBC) isolate in a drug-containing tube and drug-free tube. Theanalyzer continuously monitors and compares increasing fluorescence in both the tubes. Fluorescence detected in both tubes indicates the isolate is resistant to the particular drug and if fluorescence is not detected in the drug containing tube the organismis susceptible to the drug.