A comparison of the Sensititre® MYCOTB panel and the agar proportion method for the susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2012 May;31(5):835-9. doi: 10.1007/s10096-011-1382-z. Epub 2011 Aug 25.

Abstract

The agar proportion method (APM) for determining Mycobacterium tuberculosis susceptibilities is a qualitative method that requires 21 days in order to produce the results. The Sensititre method allows for a quantitative assessment. Our objective was to compare the accuracy, time to results, and ease of use of the Sensititre method to the APM. 7H10 plates in the APM and 96-well microtiter dry MYCOTB panels containing 12 antibiotics at full dilution ranges in the Sensititre method were inoculated with M. tuberculosis and read for colony growth. Thirty-seven clinical isolates were tested using both methods and 26 challenge strains of blinded susceptibilities were tested using the Sensititre method only. The Sensititre method displayed 99.3% concordance with the APM. The APM provided reliable results on day 21, whereas the Sensititre method displayed consistent results by day 10. The Sensititre method provides a more rapid, quantitative, and efficient method of testing both first- and second-line drugs when compared to the gold standard. It will give clinicians a sense of the degree of susceptibility, thus, guiding the therapeutic decision-making process. Furthermore, the microwell plate format without the need for instrumentation will allow its use in resource-poor settings.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests / methods
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / growth & development
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents