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.