Detection and drug-susceptibility testing of M. tuberculosis from sputum samples using luciferase reporter phage: comparison with the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) system

Rapid diagnosis of drug-resistant M.tuberculosis (Mtb) is desirable worldwide. We (i) describe a new luciferase reporter phage (LRP), phAE142 for this purpose; (ii) compare it to the automated MGIT 960 for time-to-detection of Mtb in clinical specimens; and (iii) evaluate its use for species confirmation and antibiotic susceptibility testing(AST) of Mtb. Twenty sputum samples were inoculated for testing by LRP, or by MGIT 960. After “positives” were identified by either method, the LRP was used for confirmation of Mtb complex (TBC) and for AST. The LRP method proved comparably efficient to MGIT 960 at detecting Mtb. Using an antibiotic uniquely inhibiting TBC with LRP provided species assignment, concurrently with AST, in a median of 3 days, with a sensitivity of 97%. Overall agreement in susceptibility results was 96%. Reliable susceptibility results and identification of TBC can be completed in a median of 12 days (range 8 to 16d) with LRP applied to sputum samples.