New Microbes and New Infections (Oct 2023)
Distribution of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Ekiti and Ondo states, Nigeria
Abstract
Background: Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is one of the top infectious killer diseases in the world. The emergence of drug-resistant MTB strains has thrown challenges in controlling TB worldwide. This study investigated the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the states of Nigeria and the risk factors that can increase the incidence of tuberculosis. Methods: The study is a cross-sectional epidemiological research carried out in the six senatorial districts of Ekiti and Ondo states, Nigeria, between February 2019 and January 2020. A structured questionnaire was administered to 1203 respondents for socio-demographic information, and sputum samples were collected from them for TB investigation. GeneXpert technique was used to diagnose TB from the sputum samples, followed by bacterial isolation using Löweinstein-Jensen medium and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Results: Prevalence of TB in the two states combined was 15 %; with 13.8 % for Ekiti state and 16.1 % for Ondo State. The distribution of TB in the senatorial districts was such that: Ondo South > Ekiti Central > Ekiti South > Ondo North > Ekiti North > Ondo Central. The risk factors identified for TB prevalence in two states were gender, male > female (OR = 0.548, p = 0.004); overcrowding (OR = 0.733, p = 0.026); room size (OR = 0.580, p = 0.002); smoking (OR = 0.682, p = 0.019) and dry and dusty season (OR = 0.468, p = 0.005). The prevalence of MDR-TB in Ekiti and Ondo States were 1.2 % and 1.3 % respectively. The identified risk factors for MDR were education (OR = 0.739, p = 0.017), age (OR = 0.846, p = 0.048), religion (OR = 1.95, p = 0.0003), family income (OR = 1.76, p = 0.008), previous TB treatment (OR = 3.64, p = 0.004), smoking (OR = 1.33, p = 0.035) and HIV status (OR = 1.85, p = 0.006). Rifampicin monoresistant was reported in 6.7 % of the rifampicin-resistant strains, while 93.3 % were rifampicin polyresistant strains. Two (13.3 %) of the MDR-TB strains were resistant to all the 3 first-line antimycobacterial agents. All the Rifampicin-resistant TB strains were susceptible to the aminoglycosides (Amikacin, Capreomycin and Kanamycin), also with high susceptibility to the fluoroquinilones: Moxifloxacin (100 %) and Levofloxacin (86.7 %). Sixteen (94.1 %) of the 17 Rifampicin-susceptible strains were susceptible to all the eight antibiotics tested, while one (5.9 %) was susceptible to Rifampicin and Isoniazid but resistant to the rest antibiotics. Conclusion: The study showed that there is high prevalence of TB and MDR-TB in Ekiti and Ondo States Nigeria, hence, to meet the SDG Target 3.3 of ending TB epidemic by 2030, culturing and antibiotic susceptibility testing should be carried out on every TB-positive sputum and the patients treated accordingly.
