A mutation at codon 516 in the rpoB gene of Mycobacterium leprae confers resistance to rifampin.

A missense mutation at codon 516 in the rpoB gene of Mycobacterium leprae conferring rifampin resistance was confirmed by the correlation between sequencing results and mouse footpad assay. The isolate was obtained from a relapsed lepromatous leprosy patient. This is the first report on the complete concordance between the mutation located at codon 516 in the rpoB gene and the corresponding resistance to rifampin in leprosy. The novel profile of mutation in the rpoB gene will contribute to the comprehensive understanding of rifampin resistant patterns and offer a useful tool for developing simple and rapid drug susceptibility testing approaches, which would promise more effective and successful control of leprosy.