M Pillay1, A W Sturm. 1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Abstract
SETTING: King George V (KGV) Hospital has the largest tuberculosis (TB) facility in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the province with the highest prevalence of TB-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) co-infection in South Africa. During the study, KGV was the only provincial referral hospital for patients with drug-resistant TB. OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of nosocomial transmission in patients infected with a new strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during treatment. DESIGN: Insertion sequence 6110-DNA fingerprinting was performed on stored isolates from patients with culture-positive pulmonary TB for more than 6 weeks after treatment started and those who relapsed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: DNA fingerprints of 14 of 26 patients with differing isolates matched those of other patients. Four of them acquired a F15/LAM4/KZN genotype, while two acquired fully susceptible Beijing strains. Three of the four F15/LAM4/KZN strains were multidrug-resistant with identical fingerprint patterns, while the fourth was fully susceptible. One of these was acquired during hospitalisation and three after discharge. Both HIV-infected and non-infected patients are at risk of infection with the F15/LAM4/KZN strain in health care facilities and within the community. Rapid diagnostic tests, separation of TB and non-TB patients on admission and isolation of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB patients are essential to curb nosocomial transmission.
SETTING: King George V (KGV) Hospital has the largest tuberculosis (TB) facility in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the province with the highest prevalence of TB-HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) co-infection in South Africa. During the study, KGV was the only provincial referral hospital for patients with drug-resistant TB. OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of nosocomial transmission in patients infected with a new strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during treatment. DESIGN: Insertion sequence 6110-DNA fingerprinting was performed on stored isolates from patients with culture-positive pulmonary TB for more than 6 weeks after treatment started and those who relapsed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: DNA fingerprints of 14 of 26 patients with differing isolates matched those of other patients. Four of them acquired a F15/LAM4/KZN genotype, while two acquired fully susceptible Beijing strains. Three of the four F15/LAM4/KZN strains were multidrug-resistant with identical fingerprint patterns, while the fourth was fully susceptible. One of these was acquired during hospitalisation and three after discharge. Both HIV-infected and non-infectedpatients are at risk of infection with the F15/LAM4/KZN strain in health care facilities and within the community. Rapid diagnostic tests, separation of TB and non-TB patients on admission and isolation of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB patients are essential to curb nosocomial transmission.
Authors: Jennifer R Zelnick; Andrew Gibbs; Marian Loveday; Nesri Padayatchi; Max R O'Donnell Journal: J Public Health Policy Date: 2013-05-30 Impact factor: 2.222