Relatively low primary resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs in Bangui and Bimbo, Central African Republic
OBJECTIVE: To establish base-line anti-tuberculosis drug resistance data to allow for future monitoring of trends and evolutions. More specifically, we aimed at investigating primary anti-tuberculosis drugs in Bangui and Bimbo, two cities of CAR.
METHOD: A total of 225 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates were tested for susceptibility to the anti-tuberculosis drugs commonly used in the country (isoniazid [INH, H], rifampicin [R], streptomycin [SM, S] and ethambutol [EMB, E]). Human immunodeficiency virus co-infection was recorded.
RESULTS: Overall primary drug resistance was found to be 14.7% (33/225). The highest rate of primary resistance was for INH (9.3%), followed by SM (8.4%), and EMB (2.2%). The multidrug resistance rate was 0.4%.
CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that primary drug resistance levels in urban settings of CAR are similar to or lower than in other African cities, and that the spread of multidrug-resistant TB in this population is limited. Extended nationwide monitoring of drug resistance remains important, especially in view of the planned introduction of a new treatment regimen (2HRZE/4HR [Z = pyrazinamide]).
Keywords: Central African Republic; HIV; drug resistance; survey; tuberculosis
Document Type: Regular Paper
Affiliations: 1: Mycobacterial Laboratory, Pasteur Institute, Bangui, Central African Republic 2: Mycobacteriology Unit, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium; and Department of Pharmaceutical, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
Publication date: 01 May 2011
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