Tuberculosis is a lung affecting disease caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb). Tuberculosis causes extreme breathing difficulty and can often be fatal. The symptoms of Tuberculosis are chest pain, pain while breathing, excessive cough, presence of blood in sputum and fatigue. One of the drugs used to control Tuberculosis by killing MTb, is Ethionamide. Certain MTb strains are, however, resistant to Ethionamide. An antibiogram can be an effective tool to detect drug resistant MTb in a patient.
No special preparation is required. Inform the doctor of any medications being taken by the patient. The test can be taken through a blood sample or a sputum sample. In case of a blood sample, the patient is advised to wear a shirt sleeved shirt.
The test will either show a clearing of colonies after being subjected to Ethionamide, or will show no clearing. If colonies show clearing, then the MTb strain causing Tuberculosis symptoms in the patient is not Ethionamide resistant. The drug can be used for treatment. If colonies show no clearing, then the MTb strain causing Tuberculosis symptoms is Ethionamide resistant. This drug cannot be used for treatment.
An antibiogram uses either a sputum sample or a blood sample. In case of Tuberculosis, the sputum sample is common. The patient will be asked to transfer a sputum sample onto a slide or into a tube. The sample will be transported to the laboratory. The sample will be transferred onto a nutrient medium and cultured. Growth of colonies will be observed. The conies will be subjected to Ethionamide and the effects will be assessed.
| Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Sensitivity to Ethionamide
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
A result where the drug is sensitive indicates that the patient responds to this antibiotic
|
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