title: More than half of presumptive multidrug-resistant cases referred to a tuberculosis referral laboratory in the Tigray region of Ethiopia are multidrug resistant.
abstract: Generating epidemiological data on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is essential to assess the magnitude and trends of anti-TB drug resistance. This study determined the prevalence of MDR-TB among presumptive MDR cases referred to a TB referral laboratory in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
  
  
  
  A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 262 culture-positive presumptive MDR-TB samples submitted to the Tigray Regional Research Laboratory for MDR testing between January 2013 and August 2014. Relevant data were recorded using a structured recording format.
  
  
  
  Out of 262 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, 143 (54.6%) were MDR, 28 (10.7%) were resistant to rifampicin only, and 19 (7.3%) were resistant to isoniazid only. The prevalence of MDR-TB among newly infected cases was 66.7% (8/12) and that among previously treated cases was 54.1% (97/179). Of the variables tested, being a male was found to be associated with the development of MDR-TB (p=.003).
  
  
  
  More than half of the presumptive MDR cases referred to the Tigray Regional Research Laboratory were MDR. The prevalence was high in both newly infected and previously treated cases. Hence, re-enforcing the TB prevention methods, and strengthening the directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS) strategy and the capacity of laboratories to undertake drug susceptibility testing (DST) in the region are imperative in order to curb the emergence and transmission of MDR-TB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Kebede
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tesfay
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Mekelle Regional Hospital, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Shinesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tesfay
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, Ayder Referral Hospital, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Etsay
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nigus
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Araya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gebreyesus
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Dawit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gebreegziabiher
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia. Electronic address: ingoldmlt@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kelemework
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ethiopia; Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis; Previously treated