Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in patients with HIV and tuberculosis in South India.

SETTING

Tuberculosis Research Centre clinics at Chennai and Madurai, Tamil Nadu, South India.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the prevalence and pattern of drug resistance among patients with HIV and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study of HIV-positive patients with PTB between January 2001 and May 2003. Sputum mycobacterial culture and drug susceptibility testing were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 204 patients with positive sputum cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were included; 167 of them were new cases, and 37 had a history of previous anti-tuberculosis treatment for > 1 month. Among the former, resistance to isoniazid (INH) was observed in 22 (13%) and MDR-TB in 7 (4.2%). Reported resistance rates in this geographic area among new cases ranged from 15% to 28% for INH and 2.8% to 3.4% for MDR (INH + rifampicin [RMP]). In contrast, among HIV-positive patients with a history of previous treatment, resistance was found to INH in 10 (27%) and to RMP in 7 (18.9%), while MDR-TB was seen in 5 (13.5%) patients.

CONCLUSION

Among new TB patients, MDR-TB is marginally higher in HIV-positive patients than in the non-HIV-infected population in this region. Standard treatment guidelines should be followed. Higher rates of drug resistance are observed among previously treated patients.