Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Infectious Agents and Disease
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1535160

Whole genomic analysis uncovers high genetic diversity of rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Botswana

Provisionally accepted
Tuelo Mogashoa Tuelo Mogashoa 1,2*Johannes Loubser Johannes Loubser 2Ontlametse T. Choga Ontlametse T. Choga 1,3Justice T Ngom Justice T Ngom 2Wonderful Tatenda Choga Wonderful Tatenda Choga 1,3Mpaphi B. Mbulawa Mpaphi B. Mbulawa 4Tuduetso Molefi Tuduetso Molefi 5One Stephen One Stephen 4Topo Makhondo Topo Makhondo 5Kedumetse Seru Kedumetse Seru 1Boitumelo Zuze Boitumelo Zuze 1Patience Motshosi Patience Motshosi 1Joseph Makhema Joseph Makhema 1Rosemary Musonda Rosemary Musonda 1Dimpho Otukile Dimpho Otukile 6Chawangwa Modongo Chawangwa Modongo 6Botshelo T. Kgwaadira Botshelo T. Kgwaadira 7Keabetswe Fane Keabetswe Fane 7Simani Gaseitsiwe Simani Gaseitsiwe 1Robin Mark Warren Robin Mark Warren 2Sikhulile Moyo Sikhulile Moyo 1,10,8,9Anzaan Dippenaar Anzaan Dippenaar 11Elizabeth M. Streicher Elizabeth M. Streicher 2
  • 1 Botswana Harvard Health Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 2 Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Cape Town, South Africa
  • 3 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 4 Botswana National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 5 Botswana National Tuberculosis Programme, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 6 Victus Global Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
  • 7 8Botswana-University of Maryland School of Medicine, Health Initiative (BUMMHI), Gaborone, Botswana
  • 8 Division of Chemical Pathology, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
  • 9 School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
  • 10 Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
  • 11 Department Family Medicine and Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) strains remains a threat to tuberculosis (TB) prevention and care. Understanding the drug resistance profiles of circulating strains is crucial for effective TB control. This study aimed to describe the genetic diversity of rifampicin-resistant M.tb strains circulating in Botswana using whole genome sequencing (WGS).This study included 202 stored M.tb isolates from people diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB) between January 2016 and June 2023. Genomic DNA was extracted using the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) method. Library preparation was performed using the Illumina DNA prep kit following the manufacturer's instructions. Sequencing was done on Illumina NextSeq2000. TBProfiler software was used to identify known M.tb lineages and drug resistance profiles. Statistical analyses were performed on STATA version 18.

    Keywords: Tuberculosis, Botswana, genetic diversity, Rifampicin resistance, whole genome sequencing

    Received: 26 Nov 2024; Accepted: 13 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Mogashoa, Loubser, Choga, Ngom, Choga, Mbulawa, Molefi, Stephen, Makhondo, Seru, Zuze, Motshosi, Makhema, Musonda, Otukile, Modongo, Kgwaadira, Fane, Gaseitsiwe, Warren, Moyo, Dippenaar and Streicher. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Tuelo Mogashoa, Botswana Harvard Health Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.