DETECTION OF DRUG RESISTANT MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS

摘要

This invention relates to nucleic acids, reagents and methods for detecting Rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a sample from a subject. In one aspect, the invention provides methods of detecting Rifampicin resistant M. tuberculosis in a sample comprising (a) amplifying a nucleic acid containing the rifampicin resistance determining region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene in a sample to provide an amplified nucleic acid; (b) probing the amplified nucleic acid with at least three molecular beacon probes for an RRDR mutant target; (c) conducting melting temperature (Tm) analysis to determine a Tm value for each probe; and (d) comparing the Tm value for each probe with a Tm value for a wild-type RRDR region, wherein a Tm value for at least one of the molecular beacon probes that is greater than the Tm value for the wildtype RRDR indicates the presence of rifampicin resistant M. tuberculosis in the sample.