In a Lebanese-French-international collaboration, the first national study with advanced molecular tools for the spread of Tuberculosis (TB) bacteria among Lebanese citizens and residents was completed with the identification of sensitive and drug-resistant strains. The study revealed the first three cases of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) in Lebanon, as confirmed by WHO laboratories in Italy.

The study was part of a joint PhD between the Doctoral School of Science and Technology (DSST) at the Lebanese University, the Laboratory of Microbiology of Health and Environment at the Lebanese University, the Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology, and the Lille Infection and Immunology Centre (CIIL) at the Pasteur Institute in France. It was conducted in collaboration with various local and international health bodies, such as the National Tuberculosis Program of the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The study results were published on the website of Emerging Infectious Diseases, a well-known journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States of America. It was also selected as the paper edition of the World TB Day journal to be issued on March 24.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/25/3/18-1375_article