Drug resistance patterns of tuberculosis in Taiwan
Journal
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association
Journal Volume
97
Journal Issue
8
Pages
581-583
Date Issued
1998
Author(s)
Chiang I.-H.
Yu M.-C.
Bai K.-J.
Wu M.-P.
Hsu C.-J.
Lin T.-P.
KWEN-TAY LUH
Abstract
To evaluate the patterns of drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Taiwan, a total of 1,091 isolates collected from patients from January 1996 through December 1996 were tested for drug susceptibility using the absolute concentration method at the Taiwan Provincial Chronic Disease Control Bureau. The overall drug rate of resistance to at least one drug was 35.5%. Among the 249 isolates from patients who had never been treated for tuberculosis, 16.1% were resistant to one or more drugs; 1.6% were resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin. Of 200 patients with prior antituberculosis treatment, 67.0% had isolates resistant to one or more drugs and 46.0% had isolates resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin. We conclude that drug-resistant M. tuberculosis is an important issue in tuberculosis treatment in Taiwan, especially when dealing with patients with a prior history of antituberculosis treatment. More aggressive interventions, such as directly observed therapy, short-course, are needed to improve the cure rate of pulmonary tuberculosis and to decrease resistance rates.
Subjects
Drug resistance; Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis
SDGs
Other Subjects
aminosalicylic acid; enviomycin; ethambutol; isoniazid; kanamycin; protionamide; rifampicin; streptomycin; tuberculostatic agent; antibiotic resistance; antibiotic sensitivity; article; human; lung tuberculosis; major clinical study; multidrug resistance; mycobacterium tuberculosis; taiwan; tuberculosis; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Tuberculosis
Type
journal article