Diagnosis of Multidrug / Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis: Current Tools and Challenges

Multidrug / Rifampicin resistant tuberculosis is a serious global public health problem that threatens the significant progress made in tuberculosis care and prevention in recent decades. The inability to diagnose tuberculosis and associated drug resistance may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in patients as well as the spread of resistant strains of tuberculosis. The purpose of this book, which is recommended for everyone involved in activities aimed at laboratory strengthening and the diagnosis of drug resistant tuberculosis such as clinicians, laboratory managers, laboratory scientists, technical advisors, researchers, students and health care policy makers, is to describe the World Health Organization-recommended diagnostic options currently available for multidrug / rifampicin resistant tuberculosis and highlight key challenges associated with their implementation in low- and middle-income countries.