[Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to antitubercular agents in Antananarivo in 2000]

In 1991, the National Tuberculosis control Program (NTP) of Madagascar adopted the short treatment course and the Directly Observed Treatment Strategy (DOTS), according to the recommendations of the OMS/UICTMR. Development of M. tuberculosis primary resistance to the four antituberculosis drugs (streptomycin [S], rifampicine [R], isoniazid [H], ethambutol [E]) is an indicator of the NTP efficiency. We report results from a five-year survey among patients with new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Acquired resistance is assessed among recurrent cases. During the first survey, carried out in 1994-1995 in four large cities, multidrug resistance (MDR) rate to the major antituberculosis drug H and R was low, 0.25% for primary MDR and 5% for acquired MDR. No primary MDR was found in Antananarivo; on the other hand, acquired resistance rate was the highest there (22%). Because of logistical reasons, the second survey (1999-2000) was only carried out in the capital, Antananarivo. Results obtained among 789 new patients with smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and 79 recurrents cases in 9 diagnostic centres showed low primary and acquired resistance of 11.1% to any drug. Primary resistance to one drug was 10.6%, mainly due to streptomycin 8.5%. MDR rates are comparable with those observed in 1994-1995: 0.1% for primary MDR and 4% for acquired MDR. These results show that ten years after the new NTP implementation, only a few MDR strains are circulating in Antananarivo, which suggests that NTP has been effective.