Antitubercular drug resistance in four healthcare facilities in North India

J Health Popul Nutr. 2011 Dec;29(6):583-92.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major public-health problem in India, having the highest number of incident and multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB cases. The study was carried out to appraise the prevalence of first-line anti-TB drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and its patterns among different types of TB patients from different settings in a province of North India. Of 3,704 clinical specimens, 345 (9.3%) were culture-positive, and drug-susceptibility testing was carried out for 301 MTB strains. A high level of primary and acquired drug resistance of MTB was observed in the region studied, with weighted mean of 10.5% and 28.08%, 12.81% and 29.72%, 17.12% and 29.94%, 11.97% and 27.84%, and 10.74% and 23.54% for rifampicin, isoniazid, streptomycin, ethambutol-resistant and MDR cases respectively. Drug resistance was significantly higher in pulmonary (p = 0.014) and acquired drug-resistant TB cases (p < 0.001). Any drug resistance (p = 0.002) and MDR TB were significantly (p = 0.009) associated with HIV-seropositive cases. An urgent plan is needed to continuously monitor the transmission trends of drug-resistant strains, especially MDR-TB strains, in the region.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Comorbidity
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / drug effects
  • Female
  • HIV Seropositivity / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / epidemiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents