Abstract:
Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), including multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and
extensively drug-resistant (XDR-TB) forms, is a critical global health challenge. The field of
diagnostics is rapidly evolving, moving away from slow, traditional culture methods toward fast,
molecular techniques that can identify resistance within hours or days. This review explores the
main diagnostic methods for DR-TB, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and role in
clinical practice. It pays special attention to automated molecular platforms and next-generation
sequencing (NGS), assessing their potential for widespread use
