ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) or rifampicin-resistant (RR) TB poses a significant challenge for TB control initiatives on a global scale. This study's aim was to estimate the incidence of MDR-/RR-TB and identify the risk factors associated with their incidence in four provinces in northern Iran. METHODS: Drug susceptibility testing was conducted using the proportion method on Lowenstein-Jensen media. The demographic and clinical data were collected from the Iranian TB registry. RESULTS: Among 1083 individuals diagnosed with TB, 27 (2.5%) were identified as having MDR-/RR-TB, while 73 cases (6.7%) were any drug resistant (ADR). The statistical analysis revealed a significant association between marital status and MDR-/RR-TB (p=0.003). In addition, significant associations were observed between ADR-TB and gender (p=0.035) and previous treatment for TB (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide important information on the drug resistance pattern of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, as well as risk factors in northern Iran. Given the identified risk factors, creative approaches to promote treatment adherence in TB patients, particularly divorced/widowed women and individuals with a previous history of TB treatment, are required.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) drug resistance in regions located at the proximity of the Caspian Sea. We aimed to assess the drug resistance patterns of the MTB isolates to anti-tuberculosis drugs in patients from four northern provinces of Iran between April 2013 and March 2019. METHODS: Drug susceptibility testing (DST) was performed by culturing MTB isolates on the Lowenstein-Jensen medium using the proportion method. RESULTS: Out of 963 MTB isolates, 927 (96.3%) were recovered from Iranian cases and 36 (3.7%) were from Afghan immigrants. Based on DST, 59 (6.1%) showed any drug resistance pattern, while 18 patients (1.9%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampicin-resistant (RR). Resistance to streptomycin (STR), isoniazid (INZ), rifampicin (RIN), and ethambutol (ETL) was reported in 33 (3.4%), 28 (2.9%), 18 (1.9%), and 12 isolates (1.2%), respectively. CONCLUSION: The rate of MDR/RR in four northern provinces of Iran was in line with previous reports from the World Health Organization. Due to proximity to the former Soviet Union, which had a high rate of MDR/RR isolates, the establishment of cross-border tuberculosis (TB) control strategies is recommended to reduce the possibility of MDR-TB transmission. Moreover, DST for all TB cases is recommended as an effective diagnostic tool for optimal monitoring and control of drug resistance in these areas. Future studies with a molecular epidemiology approach will be needed to evaluate the transmission dynamics of MTB in these regions.