Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Detection by Phenotypic Method inTreatment Naïve Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients

Abstract

Background and Aims The emergence of multi drug-resistant tuberculosis MDR-TB in treatment naiumlve Pulmonary Tuberculosis PTB is an epidemiological indicator indicating transmission of drug-resistant strains in the community. This study aimed to assess the patterns of drug resistance to any first-line anti-TB drugs and MDR-TB in culture-positive TB isolates obtained from treatment naiumlve PTB in a tertiary care hospital.Methods A total of 240 culture-positive TB isolates obtained from newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients during the study period September 2018- June 2021 were enrolled in this study. All culture-positive isolates were subjected to phenotypic drug susceptibility testing DST by the conventional 1 proportion method against all the five first-line anti-tubercular antibiotics.Results Of the 240 isolates 127 52.9 were susceptible to all the first-line anti-tubercular drugs. Mono resistance to Rifampicin Isoniazid Streptomycin and Pyrazinamide was observed in 11 4.6 8 3.3 15 6.3 and 14 5.8 of the isolates respectively. Resistance to Ethambutol was not exhibited by any of the isolates. The proportion of MDR-TB in the study was 12.5.Conclusions The study has identified a high rate of MDR-TB in the study area indicating the need to strengthen and expand the National level TB eradication programmes for early identification and proper treatment to interrupt the chain of transmission of MDR-TB in the community