title: Tuberculosis in Australia: bacteriologically confirmed cases and drug resistance, 2004: a report of the Australian Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory Network.
abstract: The Australian Mycobacterium Reference Laboratory Network collected and analysed laboratory data on new cases of disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in the year 2004. A total of 787 cases were identified by bacteriology, representing an annual reporting rate of 3.9 cases per 100,000 population. Almost all isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis (n = 785), the remaining isolates being one each of Mycobacterium africanum and Mycobacterium canettii. Seven children under 10 years of age (female n = 5, male n = 2) had bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis (gastric aspirate n = 4, lymph node n = 1, pleural n = 1, thigh wound n = 1). Results of in vitro drug susceptibility testing were available for all 787 isolates for isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), ethambutol (E), and pyrazinamide (Z). A total of 71 (9.0%) isolates of M. tuberculosis were resistant to at least one of these anti-tuberculosis agents. Resistance to at least both H and R (defined as multidrug resistance) was detected in 12 (1.5%) isolates; 10 were from the respiratory tract (sputum n = 7, bronchoscopy n = 3). The country of birth was known for 68/71 (95.8%) cases with a drug resistant strain; eight were Australian, 60 were overseas born, and three were unknown. Of the 60 migrants with drug resistant disease, 37 (61.7%) were from three countries; Viet Nam (n = 20), China (n = 9) and India (n = 8).
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, Adelaide, South Australia. richard.lumb@imvs.sa.gov.au
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lumb
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bastian
authors.forename: Taryn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Crighton
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gilpin
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haverkort
authors.forename: Aina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sievers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044382:Population Groups; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents