Whole Genome Sequencing in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates

Study Goals:1. To determine the genomic-phenotypic correlation of drug-resistance in MDR/XDR Mtb. isolates using WGS and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing.2. To assign evolutionary lineages of the isolates and compare them with regional and global lineage.Relevance: XDR TB poses a major threat to TB control in high-burden countries such as India, where diverse Mtb. isolates co-circulate and contribute to complex resistance patterns. While WGS has emerged as a powerful tool for understanding drug-resistance mechanisms, its application in a routine clinical practice remains limited due to resource, infrastructure and data interpretation constraints. As a result, critical gaps persist in correlating gentotypic predictions with phenotypic DST in the Indian context.