DNA Sequencing to Determine TB Drug Susceptibility

Date/Time: 28 August 2019, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Speaker: Edward P. Desmond, Ph.D., D (ABMM)
Speaker Affiliation: Administrator, State of Hawaii Laboratories Division, Department of Health, Pearl City, Hawaii
Venue: John A. Burns School of Medicine, Medical Education Building Auditorium (Room 315)

For more info: Dr. Vivek Nerurkar, (808) 692-1668
Description: Molecular detection of drug-resistant tuberculosis has evolved to become more informative, quicker, and more accurate. Real time PCR methods provide rapid and reasonably accurate results, but DNA sequencing has evolved from Sanger, pyrosequencing, and whole genome sequencing to targeted next generation sequencing. An optimized algorithm can eliminate the need for culture-based susceptibility testing in most cases, while still detecting heteroresistance (mixture of susceptible and resistant TB bacilli). It is also now possible to predict which drug, in a class of drugs such as fluoroquinolones or aminoglycosides may still be effective even when a resistance-associated mutation is present. The presentation will also include a description of a long term international project (in North Korea).
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