OBJECTIVE: To determine rates of drug resistance in new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in a region with a high burden of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: New case suspects were referred for drug susceptibility testing. RESULTS: 28.9% of new cases were resistant to at least one first line drug; 3.9% had a multidrug-resistant strain, 15.6% a monoresistant strain and 9.4% a polyresistant strain. CONCLUSION: Our rate of drug resistant tuberculosis in new cases is very high; this has important clinical implications, since even monoresistance can have a negative impact on the outcome of new cases treated empirically with a six month regimen.
OBJECTIVE: To determine rates of drug resistance in new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in a region with a high burden of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: New case suspects were referred for drug susceptibility testing. RESULTS: 28.9% of new cases were resistant to at least one first line drug; 3.9% had a multidrug-resistant strain, 15.6% a monoresistant strain and 9.4% a polyresistant strain. CONCLUSION: Our rate of drug resistant tuberculosis in new cases is very high; this has important clinical implications, since even monoresistance can have a negative impact on the outcome of new cases treated empirically with a six month regimen.
Authors: Leonela Villegas; Larissa Otero; Timothy R Sterling; Moises A Huaman; Patrick Van der Stuyft; Eduardo Gotuzzo; Carlos Seas Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-04-05 Impact factor: 3.240