Primary antimicrobial resistance among Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from HIV seropositive and HIV seronegative patients in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

BACKGROUND

The United Republic of Tanzania is one of the 22 high M. tuberculosis burden countries. Data collected between 2002 and 2007 indicate that the global prevalence of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis including MDR vary greatly. The varied drug-resistance patterns make continuous surveillance of drug resistance an essential component of tuberculosis control program.

FINDINGS

M. tuberculosis isolates were obtained from consenting adult tuberculosis patients involved in a placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of multivitamin supplements on response to anti-Tb treatment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done on four antimicrobial agents namely streptomycin, isoniazid, ethambutol and rifampicin. HIV testing and CD4+ T lymphocytes enumeration were also done. A total of 280 M. tuberculosis isolates from 191 (68%) males and 89 (32%) female patients with no previous history of anti-tuberculosis treatment exceeding 4 weeks in the previous 12 months were tested. Among these, 133 (47%) patients were HIV seropositive. Fourteen (5.0%) isolates were resistant to any of the anti-tuberculosis drugs. The prevalence of primary resistance was 5.0%, 0.7%, 0.4% and 0% for isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampicin and ethambutol respectively. One isolate (0.4%) was MDR, with resistance to isoniazid, streptomycin and rifampicin.

CONCLUSION

M. Tb primary resistance rate in a selected population in Dar es Salaam Tanzania is low and efforts should be undertaken to support the Tuberculosis program.