Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The United Republic of Tanzania is one of the 22 high M. tuberculosis
burden countries. Data collected between 2002 and 2007 indicate that the global
prevalence of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis including MDR vary greatly. The
varied drug-resistance patterns make continuous surveillance of drug resistance
an essential component of tuberculosis control program.
FINDINGS: M. tuberculosis isolates were obtained from consenting adult
tuberculosis patients involved in a placebo-controlled study to evaluate the
efficacy of multivitamin supplements on response to anti-Tb treatment in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done on four
antimicrobial agents namely streptomycin, isoniazid, ethambutol and rifampicin.
HIV testing and CD4+ T lymphocytes enumeration were also done. A total of 280 M.
tuberculosis isolates from 191 (68%) males and 89 (32%) female patients with no
previous history of anti-tuberculosis treatment exceeding 4 weeks in the previous
12 months were tested. Among these, 133 (47%) patients were HIV seropositive.
Fourteen (5.0%) isolates were resistant to any of the anti-tuberculosis drugs.
The prevalence of primary resistance was 5.0%, 0.7%, 0.4% and 0% for isoniazid,
streptomycin, rifampicin and ethambutol respectively. One isolate (0.4%) was MDR,
with resistance to isoniazid, streptomycin and rifampicin.
CONCLUSION: M. Tb primary resistance rate in a selected population in Dar es
Salaam Tanzania is low and efforts should be undertaken to support the
Tuberculosis program.
