Resistance to Antituberculosis Drugs in Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant health concern, particularly in military populations.
• Antitubercular drug resistance poses a major challenge to effective TB treatment and control.
• Understanding drug resistance patterns is crucial for optimizing treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and patterns of antitubercular drug resistance in pulmonary TB.
• To assess the susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains among soldiers and their families.
• To provide data for regional and national TB control programs.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains from sputum samples.
• Antitubercular drug susceptibility testing using standardized laboratory procedures.
• Analysis of drug resistance patterns, including primary and acquired resistance.

Main Results:

• Out of 172 MTB strains, 12.79% exhibited resistance to one or more antitubercular drugs.
• Primary drug resistance (68.18%) was more prevalent than acquired drug resistance (31.82%).
• Resistance was observed against Streptomycin (18.14%), Isoniazid (6.40%), Rifampicin (4.65%), Ethambutol (1.16%), and Pyrazinamide (0.58%). Multidrug resistance was found in 2.91% of cases.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a concerning level of antitubercular drug resistance in the studied population.
• Comparing these findings with other centers can inform broader TB control strategies.
• Continuous monitoring of drug resistance patterns is essential for effective tuberculosis management.