RESUMO
The aim of this study was to investigate the susceptibility rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains sent to Refik Saydam Hygiene Center, Tuberculosis Reference and Research Laboratory, Ankara, from seven different regional tuberculosis laboratories between the 1999-2002 period against major antituberculous drugs. The sensitivities of a total 505 M. tuberculosis strains to isoniazid (INAH), rifampicin (RIF), streptomycin (SM) and ethambutol (EMB) were determined by using proportion method in Lowenstein-Jensen medium. Of the strains, 385 (76.2%) were found sensitive to all of the tested drugs, while 120 strains were resistant to at least one of the antituberculous drugs. The resistant strains showed 14 different resistance patterns. The resistance rates were detected as 13.3% for INAH and RIF (67 strains of each), 9.1% for SM (46 strains), and 3.4% (17 strains) for EMB. Multidrug resistant (INAH+RIF) M. tuberculosis was 7.9% (40 strains). The highest resistance rate to INAH, RIF and EMB (21.2%, 21.2% and 10.6%, respectively) was detected in the isolates which were sent from Bursa province (located in northwestern Turkey); the highest SM (18.8%) and multidrug resistance (INAH+RIF) rates (18.8% and 10.6%, respectively) were detected in the strains sent from Elazig and Van provinces (both located in eastern Turkey). Since the inappropriate use of the first and second line antituberculous drugs leads to the development and spread of the resistant strains, "Directly Observed Therapy Shortcourse (DOTS)" is a very important practice. Therefore regional tuberculosis laboratories should be worth considering as the chains of a well-organized national laboratory network, in order to detect the antituberculous drug resistance patterns of the M. tuberculosis strains over the country.