Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41668446›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of medicine2026

Comparative evaluation of molecular technologies for the identification of prevalent non-tuberculous mycobacteria in pulmonary infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Xiang Chen, Jiawen Sun, Xibin Chen, Yanshan You, Leonardo Antonio Sechi, Paola Molicotti

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisComparative Study
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Xiang ChenHealth Care Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0186-0152
Jiawen SunDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shenzhen Guangming District People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
Xibin ChenShantou Polytechnic, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Yanshan YouDepartment of Education, Shantou Tuobin Vocational Technical School, Shantou, Guangdong, China.
Leonardo Antonio SechiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Paola MolicottiDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe increasing prevalence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM PD) is a burden to public health. Successful management of NTM PD critically depends on accurate species identification and reliable drug susceptibility testing to guide appropriate antibiotic therapy. Emerging molecular technologies offer rapid diagnostic solutions compared to conventional methods, but their performance varies. This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of current molecular techniques for NTM identification and to present a global antibiotic resistance profile.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science for studies published between 2005 and 2024. Studies applying molecular methods for NTM identification and resistance detection in humans were included. Data on study characteristics, diagnostic methods, sample types, sample sizes, identification sensitivity, and drug susceptibility results were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using R with the

resultsThe analysis included 49 studies on NTM identification and 33 studies on antibiotic resistance. For species identification, all evaluated molecular technologies (MALDI-TOF MS, PCR-based methods, Sequencing, DNA chip, and DNA strip) demonstrated high pooled sensitivities (>0.92). Subgroup analysis revealed that sample type significantly affected performance for MALDI-TOF MS. Preliminary analysis of antibiotic resistance rates revealed varying patterns. For slowly growing mycobacteria, a significantly high Ethambutol resistance rate was observed in

conclusionEmerging molecular technologies have revolutionized the methodology for NTM identification with excellent performance. However, their performance can be influenced by sample type, particularly for MALDI-TOF MS. The alarming and heterogeneous antibiotic resistance patterns also highlight the critical need for rapid and accurate species identification and drug susceptibility testing to inform effective therapeutic strategies. Key messagesMolecular technologies demonstrate high accuracy for NTM identification.Antibiotic resistance is a serious concern with variations among NTM species and subspecies.Rapid and accurate species identification and drug susceptibility testing are crucial for guiding effective clinical management of NTM PD.

Indexed as

Lung DiseasesMolecular Diagnostic TechniquesMycobacterium Infections, NontuberculousNontuberculous MycobacteriaAnti-Bacterial AgentsDrug Resistance, BacterialHumansMicrobial Sensitivity TestsPrevalenceSensitivity and SpecificitySpectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-IonizationAnti-Bacterial Agentsantibiotic resistancemolecular technologiesNon-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) identificationNTM pulmonary diseaseperformance evaluation

Identifiers

PMID41668446
PMCPMC12895907

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.