Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs in Mozambique.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the drug resistance profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Mozambique.


METHODS
We analyzed secondary data from the National Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Maputo, Mozambique, and from the Beira Regional Tuberculosis Referral Laboratory, in the city of Beira, Mozambique. The data were based on culture-positive samples submitted to first-line drug susceptibility testing (DST) between January and December of 2011. We attempted to determine whether the frequency of DST positivity was associated with patient type or provenance.


RESULTS
During the study period, 641 strains were isolated in culture and submitted to DST. We found that 374 (58.3%) were resistant to at least one antituberculosis drug and 280 (43.7%) were resistant to multiple antituberculosis drugs. Of the 280 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases, 184 (65.7%) were in previously treated patients, most of whom were from southern Mozambique. Two (0.71%) of the cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were confirmed to be cases of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was most common in males, particularly those in the 21-40 year age bracket.


CONCLUSIONS
M. tuberculosis resistance to antituberculosis drugs is high in Mozambique, especially in previously treated patients. The frequency of M. tuberculosis strains that were resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin in combination was found to be high, particularly in samples from previously treated patients.
National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
Germano Manuel
GM
Pires
National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
Elena
E
Folgosa
National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
Ndlovu
N
Nquobile
National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
Sheba
S
Gitta
National Institute of Health, Ministry of Health, Maputo, Mozambique.
Nureisha
N
Cadir
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009073:Mozambique / Q000453:epidemiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012737:Sex Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000995:Antitubercular Agents