Comprehensive Whole-Genome Sequencing and Reporting of Drug Resistance Profiles on Clinical Cases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in New York State

摘要

The global rates of cases with diagnosed multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis threaten tuberculosis (TB) control and necessitate faster methods for accurate diagnosis (1, 2). Drug-resistant TB has been classified as a serious threat by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States due to the complications and lower cure rates associated with the long-term treatments, as well as the lack of new drugs available to combat these drug-resistant strains. In New York State (NYS), the rate of MDR-TB has remained at a constant number (6 to 16 cases per year since 2008) despite the overall reduction in TB cases each year (https://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/diseases/communicable/tuberculosis). Early detection of resistance is critical to limiting the spread of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis and providing physicians with the necessary information to implement effective treatment.