[Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the area of the Hospital de Sagunto from 1999 to 2004]

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to know the drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, specifically primary drug resistance to isoniazid, in the area of the Hospital de Sagunto and to study the clinical characteristics and the risk factors associated with them.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients included were those who were diagnosed of tuberculosis and whose M. tuberculosis strains were isolated in culture of a clinical sample and in whom a susceptibility test against the first line anti-tuberculosis drugs was performed from January 1999 to December 2004. Risk factors and clinical characteristics of the patients were gathered from the case- history.

RESULTS

The total number of strains isolated was 77 and the global rate of resistance was 14.1%. Rate of primary drug resistance was 12.1%, and acquired 27%. No multidrug resistant case was detected. Primary drug resistance was 3% to isoniazid, 3% to rifampin, 3% to pyrazinamid, 4.5% to ethambutol and 3% to streptomycin. Acquired drug resistance was 9.1% against isoniazid and 27% against streptomicin, no resistance against the other drugs tested being found.

CONCLUSIONS

The low level of primary drug resistance against isoniazid allows us to start treatment with three-drug regimes in new cases of native population. In our hospital area, the risk factors associated with drug resistances were smoking habit and alcoholism. Although all patients with drug resistance presented pulmonary disease, the differences were not statistically significant. However, the higher rate of pleural effusion in patients with drug resistance was statistically significant.

Drug resistance among Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in immigrants: is there a real threat everywhere?

A study was performed to determine the impact of drug resistance in tuberculosis among immigrant patients in Madrid, Spain. During the period 1995-2001, the relative proportion of isolates from immigrant patients increased from 4.4% to 24.2%. No differences between immigrants and Spanish-born patients were detected for resistance to any first-line anti-tuberculous drug. More studies are required to determine the actual incidence of resistant tuberculosis in immigrants.