Rising trend of drug resistance among extra pulmonary TB in Northern India

Abstract

Introduction: The emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major public health problem in developing countries. A very limited data is available on MDR-TB among EPTB cases in India. This study aims to determine the trends in prevalence of MDR-TB amonf EPTB cases at tertiary care hospital in Northern India Methods: This study was planned as prospective manner. A total of 756 specimens of EPTB cases were processed for Ziehl Neelson staining, BACTEC culture and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex by NAP test. First drug susceptibility was performed using the proportion method for streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol (SHRE). MDR-TB isolates were further confirmed by multiplex PCR for rpoB, katG and inhA gene. Results: Of these 164 M.tuberculosis complex isolates, 100 (60.9%) strains were fully susceptible and 64 (39.1%) strains were resistant. 21 (12.8%) strains were confirmed MDR-TB by multiplex PCR. MDR-TB was detected in 22 (13.4%) strains, 19.1% of treated cases as compared to 11.5% of new cases of MDR strains among EPTB cases. (p Conclusion: The prevalence of MDR-TB (13.4%) among EPTB has been increasing in Northern India. The rising trend of MDR-TB in previously treated cases of EPTB has reached an alarming level. Circulating of MDR-TB strains within society is a serious problem. This fact should be kept in mind that one MDR-TB patient if left untreated or not treated properly will create another 10-15 new cases of MDR-TB in a year.