title: Drug-resistant tuberculosis at the University Hospital in Gaziantep, South-eastern Turkey.
abstract: We aimed to determine the present status of drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at the Gaziantep University Hospital in south-east Turkey. Data for 1995 to 1999 were retrospectively evaluated with respect to smear-positive cases, first positive culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis for each patient and drug-susceptibility tests for the major antituberculous drugs. Cultures were done using the Bactec 460 TB method. A total of 106 (40.2%) strains were resistant to at least one drug. Single drug resistance was observed in 47 strains (17.8%) and resistance to two or three drugs was found in 28 and 29 strains (10.6 and 11.0%), respectively. Two strains (0.8%) were resistant to all four drugs. While multidrug resistance was observed in 52 (19.7%) strains, resistance to isoniazid + rifampin was observed in 20 (7.6%) strains. This retrospective study showed that combined drug resistance of M. tuberculosis is highly prevalent in southeastern Turkey. Possible reasons for the failure of current control policies were considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Gaziantep University, School of Medicine, Turkey.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Balci
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dikensoy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bayram
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Filiz
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents