Rifampicin (RIF)-resistance, a surrogate marker for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), is mediated by mutations in theAmong 465 clinical isolates collected from the Guangzhou Chest Hospital, drug-susceptibility of 175 confirmedWe found 150/175 (85.71%) RIF-resistant strains (MIC: 4 to64 µg/mL) of which 57 were MDR and 81 pre-XDR TB. Genetic analysis identified 17 types of mutations 146/150 (97.33%) within RRDR (codons 426-452) ofOur findings underscore the key role of RRDR mutations and the contribution of non-RRDR mutations in rapid molecular diagnosis of RIF