Comparison on Major Gene Mutations Related to Rifampicin and Isoniazid Resistance between Beijing and Non-Beijing Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis

Objective: The Beijing strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is controversially presented as the predominant genotype and is more drug resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid compared to the non-Beijing strain. We aimed to compare the major gene mutations related to rifampicin and isoniazid drug resistance between Beijing and non-Beijing genotypes, and to extract the best evidence using the evidence-based methods for improving the service of TB control programs based on genetics of MTB. Method: Literature was searched in Google Scholar, PubMed and CNKI Database. Data analysis was conducted in R software. The conventional and Bayesian random-effects models were employed for meta-analysis, combining the examinations of publication bias and sensitivity. Results: Of the 8785 strains in the pooled studies, 5225 were identified as Beijing strains and 3560 as non-Beijing strains. The maximum and minimum strain sizes were 876 and 55, respectively. The mutations prevalence of rpoB, katG, inhA and oxyR-ahpC in Beijing strains was 52.40% (2738/5225), 57.88% (2781/4805), 12.75% (454/3562) and 6.26% (108/1724), respectively, and that in non-Beijing strains was 26.12% (930/3560), 28.65% (834/2911), 10.67% (157/1472) and 7.21% (33/458), separately. The pooled posterior value of OR for the mutations of rpoB was 2.72 ((95% confidence interval (CI): 1.90, 3.94) times higher in Beijing than in non-Beijing strains. That value for katG was 3.22 (95% CI: 2.12, 4.90) times. The estimate for inhA was 1.41 (95% CI: 0.97, 2.08) times higher in the non-Beijing than in Beijing strains. That for oxyR-ahpC was 1.46 (95% CI: 0.87, 2.48) times. The principal patterns of the variants for the mutations of the four genes were rpoB S531L, katG S315T, inhA-15C > T and oxyR-ahpC intergenic region. Conclusion: The mutations in rpoB and katG genes in Beijing are significantly more common than that in non-Beijing strains of MTB. We do not have sufficient evidence to support that the prevalence of mutations of inhA and oxyR-ahpC is higher in non-Beijing than in Beijing strains, which provides a reference basis for clinical medication selection.