Fluoroquinolone and pyrazinamide resistance in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

In a study performed in Cambodia, a higher number of tuberculosis (TB) strains with mutations in the pncA gene associated with pyrazinamide resistance (PZA-R) was found in fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains (93%), compared with 47% in MDR and 3% in non-MDR strains. This emphasises the need for easy and rapid tests for identification of PZA-R for efficient treatment of MDR-TB.