[Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Epidemiology, treatment, prevention and diagnostic research]

The recent augmentation of the prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis is related to the high incidence of tuberculosis in HIV infected people, especially in those with low social status and no medical care; several nosocomial epidemics of MDR tuberculosis were observed in American and European institutions where HIV-infected persons were hospitalized; these MDR tuberculosis were associated with a high mortality-rate and frequent nosocomial transmission to immunocompromised contacts and care workers. The rapid institution of an adequate treatment with ancient antituberculosis agents (cycloserin, capreomycin, aminoglycosides) and/or new drugs (rifabutine, ofloxacin, sparfloxacin, etc) is necessary to avoid mortality and to diminish transmission. Prevention of MDR tuberculosis transmission is very important: patient isolation, adequate and prolonged therapy, better detection of resistance with gene-amplification methods (PCR) which are under investigation.