Catalase Expression, katG, And MIC Of Isoniazid For Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates From SãO Paulo, Brazil

The MIC of isoniazid, peroxidase-catalase expression, and the presence of the katG gene for 102 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients in Sβo Paulo were compared. Fifty-three isoniazid-resistant and 49 isoniazid-sensitive isolates were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of katG sequences. All isoniazid-sensitive and 43 (81 %) isoniazid-resistant isolates expressed catalase (P = .001). None of isoniazid-sensitive and 4 (7%) of 53 isoniazid-resistant isolates lacked katG sequences. Among 6 isolates with MICs > 50 ILg/mL, 5 (83%) did not express catalase and 2 lacked katG sequences; only 1 had complete gene deletion shown by Southern blot analysis. These findings indicate a correlation between loss of catalase and isoniazid resistance among highly resistant isolates, but these isolates were a small proportion of resistant clinical M. tuberculosis isolates from Sao Paulo.