First Susceptibility Testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis for Second-line Anti-tuberculosis Drugs in Ghana
10.2149/tmh.2013-16
- Author:
Tomoko Kato
;
Kennedy Kwasi Addo
;
Naomi Nartey
;
Alexander Kwadwo Nyarko
;
Frank Adae Bonsu
;
Satoshi Mitarai
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Ghana;
Drug susceptibility testing;
MDR/XDR-TB;
second-line drugs
- From:Tropical Medicine and Health
2014;42(1):53-55
- CountryJapan
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
We performed drug susceptibility testing on first- and second-line drugs in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) for the first time in Ghana to obtain preliminary data on drug-resistant tuberculosis. Of 21 isolates (4 new cases and 17 treated cases), 5 (23.8%) were multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and 19 (90.5%) were resistant to at least one drug, but no extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) was identified. Since the target patients were Category II, IV or smear positive at follow-up microscopy, it is understandable that there were many drug-resistant TB cases. Six isolates were resistant to one or two second-line drugs, but the second-line drugs were not approved in Ghana. It is considered that the bacilli were imported from abroad. Preventing the import of drug-resistant TB bacilli is probably one of best ways to control TB in Ghana.
