Detection of clinically important non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from pulmonary samples through one-step multiplex PCR assay.

BACKGROUND The burden of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) disease is increasing worldwide but still its diagnosis is delayed and it is mistaken as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).The present study was performed to develop a multiplex PCR assay for detection and identification of clinically most common NTM to the species level from pulmonary samples. RESULTS Out of 50 isolates, 26 were identified as Mycobacterium kansasii (MK), 20 were identified as Mycobacterium abscessus (MA) and 4 were identified as Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) through multiplex PCR and further confirmed by sequencing. CONCLUSION Our study showed that multiplex PCR assay is a simple, convenient, and reliable technique for detection and differential identification of major NTM species.