Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Measurement of Specific Mycobacterial Mistranslation Rates with Gain-of-function Reporter Systems
Published on: April 26, 2019
A pragmatic approach ensuring accuracy in language translation in tuberculosis research
Timothy W Rennie1, Dita Engova, Ian Bates
1Department of Practice and Policy, School of Pharmacy, 29-39, Brunswick Square, London, UK. timothy.rennie@pharmacy.ac.uk
Background:
To research patient perceptions of medicines and illness in a multicultural setting, it is appropriate to translate research materials. However, the translation procedures should be valid and reliable to assure accuracy.
Objectives:
To translate into 3 languages-Turkish, Urdu, and Bengali-a research questionnaire investigating illness and medicines perceptions of tuberculosis patients and to validate the translation.
Methods:
A 4-stage protocol for the translation and validation of research questionnaires investigating illness and medicines perceptions was designed and implemented. This involved forward and back-translation, group-validation, and post hoc conceptual equivalence rating in 3 different languages.
Results:
The translation protocol was found to be very useful in identifying discrepancies between original and translated versions; a total of 83 amendments were required. Post hoc evaluations also demonstrated improvements for 2 of the 3 language translations. Some redundancy was apparent and an improved protocol was suggested by the authors.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated that including a protocol for translation and validation of the translation is crucial to assure accuracy in multicultural research.
Related Concept Videos
Improving Translational Accuracy
Improving Translational Accuracy
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Leaky Scanning
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Initiation of Translation
First, the initiator tRNA must be selected from the pool of elongator tRNAs by eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2). The initiator tRNA (Met-tRNAi) has conserved sequence elements including modified bases at...

