Rifampin-monoresistant tuberculosis in New York City, 1993-1994

All New York City patients whose cultures yielded Mycobacterium tuberculosis with isolated resistance to rifampin in 1993 and 1994 were included in this study. Of the 96 patients, 48 (50%) had primary resistance, 32 (33%) had acquired resistance, and 16 (17%) had unclassified resistance; 66% had histories of illicit drug use, and 79% were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The median time to emergence of resistance was 40 weeks among the 32 patients with acquired resistance. Each of the HIV-infected patients with acquired resistance (cases, n = 29) was matched to two HIV-infected patients who had disease due to fully susceptible M. tuberculosis (controls, n = 58). In multivariate analysis, factors associated with the emergence of rifampin resistance were as follows: a sputum smear positive for acid-fast bacilli, advanced immunosuppression, and nonadherence to therapy.