Research Project Identifies Key Components of XDR-TB Organism; Findings Could Improve Understanding, Diagnosis of Drug-Resistant TB

Researchers in South Africa have identified key components of the extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis organism -- which is resistant to the two most potent first-line treatments and some of the available second-line drugs -- the Sowetan reports. According to James Sakwa, manager of the National Genomics Platform and the study's lead researcher, the findings could help better understand the mutations that lead to the development of drug-resistant TB.

Sakwa and colleagues began the two-month research project in July to identify the key elements of XDR-TB. According to Sakwa, the findings will help develop molecular diagnostic tools for multi-drug resistant TB and XDR-TB. He added that the type of research the scientists conducted often can take up to 12 months, but new technology helped to complete the project in a fraction of that time. "The technology allowed us to glean vast amounts of information in a short space of time," he said. Sakwa said the findings might bring scientists "closer to identifying potential therapeutic agents, including drugs that target drug-resistant TB." LIFElab's ECoBio Innovation Center, which forms part of South Africa's Department of Science and Technology's National Biotechnology Strategy, funded the research (Papayya, Sowetan, 10/10).