Anti tuberculosis drug resistance in west of Iran

Background and Objective: Mycobacterium tuberculosis has developed resistance to antituberculosis drugs and becoming a major and alarming public health problem in worldwide. This study was aimed to determine antituberculosis drug resistance rate and to identify multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in West of Iran. Materials and Methods: Of 130 samples were included between December 2011 and July 2012 in the study from that 112 cases were M. tuberculosis . The proportional method was carried out according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute on Lowenstein-Jensen against isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, para aminosalicylic acid, ethionamide, cycloserine (CYC). The microdilution method was carried out using 7H9 broth with 96 well-plates. Results: From 112 isolates, resistance was observed to isoniazid 18 (16.07%), rifampicin 16 (14.28%), streptomycin 25 (22.32%), ethambutol 15 (13.39%), pyrazinamide 27 (24.10%), para aminosalicylic acid 19 (16.96%), CYC 4 (3.57%), and ethionamide 14 (12.5%) cases. 16 isolates were MDR. Conclusion: The high prevalence of MDR-TB in our study is assumed to be due to recent transmission of drug-resistant strains. Overall, the rate of drug resistance in our study was high, which is in line with findings of some high-burden countries. Hence that early case detection, rapid drug susceptibility testing, and effective anti-TB treatment is necessary.