Multi Drug Resistance: A Continuous Challenge by a Century Old Mycobacterium Tuberculosis

Background: Tuberculosis is a mycobacterial infection caused by mycobacterium tuberculous bacillus. Anti-tuberculous drugs are drugs used to treat tuberculosis which include first line anti-tuberculosis drugs used to treat tuberculosis initially when the infection is non-resistant these include Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol. Second line anti-tuberculosis drugs which are used to treat resistant tuberculosis or when first line drugs are contraindicated these include Ethionamide, Capreomycin, ciprofloxacin etc. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is tuberculosis not responding to 2 first line anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Methods: This study was aimed at determining the frequency of MDR pattern in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases. The design was cross sectional and the study was conducted at Tuberculosis and chest diseases Center Mirpur Khas in 2017 over two years.

Results: Total 458 MDR patients were evaluated 252(55%) females and 206(45%) were males. Isoniazid and Rifampicin were resistant in 97 (21.17%) cases while Isoniazid, Ethambutol and Rifampicin were found to be resistant in 40(8.73%) cases. The resistance for Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide and Rifampicin was observed in 50(10.92%) cases whereas 60(13.10%) patients were resistant to Isoniazid, Rifampicin and Streptomycin. Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Rifampicin and Streptomycin were resistant in 75(16.38%) cases. Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampicin and Streptomycin resistance was seen in 40(8.73%) patients and 96(20.96%) of the cases shoed resistance to Isoniazid, Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide and Rifampicin.

Conclusion: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is highly prevalent in the region.