Groundbreaking Genome Sequencing Milestone in Tuberculosis Battle

India has completed genome sequencing of 10,000 Mycobacterium Tuberculosis isolates, aiming to transform TB diagnostics and drug resistance prediction. This milestone, under the Dare2eraD TB program, highlights innovative approaches in TB treatment, especially for multi-drug resistant strains, by creating next-gen genomic tests and predictive models.

In a landmark achievement, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh announced that India has completed genome sequencing of 10,000 Mycobacterium Tuberculosis isolates. This milestone promises to revolutionize diagnostics and greatly enhance drug resistance prediction methods in the fight against tuberculosis.

This success is part of the Data Driven Research to Eradicate TB (Dare2eraD TB) initiative, launched in March 2022. An integral aspect of the program is the Indian Tuberculosis Genomic Surveillance (InTGS) Consortium, a pan-India initiative led by major research and medical institutions aiming to sequence over 32,000 strains to study resistance mutations.

The results not only pave the way for next-generation diagnostic tests but also offer the potential for quicker, more accurate resistance profiling, thus enabling personalized treatment strategies for TB patients. Despite the uneven adoption of molecular diagnosis due to socioeconomic factors, these innovations are poised to transform TB treatment outcomes.

(With inputs from agencies.)