Objective: To evaluate the performance of the colorimetric resazurin microtiter assay (REMA) method for the detection of ofloxacin resistance.
Methods: A panel of 120 multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains was tested blindly by the REMA method and compared with the results obtained using the BACTEC 460 method.
Result: A very good correlation was observed between the two methods.
Conclusion: The REMA method is simple, rapid and can be an inexpensive alternative procedure for the rapid detection of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in laboratories with limited resources.