An outbreak of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among refugees in Austria, 2005-2006.
METHODS
In 2005-2006, the Austrian reference laboratory for tuberculosis (TB) identified multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates from four cases of TB showing genotypes indistinguishable from each other.


OBJECTIVE
To clarify the chain of transmission of this MDR-TB strain.


METHODS
An epidemiological case series investigation by reviewing TB notification reports and hospital discharge letters.


RESULTS
The 38-year-old primary case of the MDR-TB cluster had initially been identified as a case of non-MDR pulmonary TB in June 2004, 7 months after being detained for illegal immigration. In March 2005, he was lost to follow-up for 4 months. In June 2005, he presented with pulmonary and laryngeal TB due to MDR-TB. After discharge, the case was again lost to follow-up until April 2006, when he was readmitted with recurrent MDR-TB. A three-case cluster of pulmonary MDR-TB sharing the same strain as the primary case was detected in April 2006: the index case's 5-month-old daughter and a 25-year-old friend with a 6-month-old son.


CONCLUSIONS
As MDR-TB has originated in the human immunodeficiency virus seronegative community in Austria, there is a clear need to implement national guidelines for the management of drug-resistant TB in Austria.
Schmid
D
D
Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria.
Fretz
R
R
Kuo
H-W
HW
Rumetshofer
R
R
Meusburger
S
S
Magnet
E
E
Hürbe
G
G
Indra
A
A
Ruppitsch
W
W
Pietzka
A T
AT
Allerberger
F
F
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012036:Refugees; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics
D000995:Antitubercular Agents