Evaluation of theSusceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Isolates Isolated from Clinical Specimens to Primer Antituberculous Drugs

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we aimed to investigate antituberculosis drug susceptibility of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates, between 2014 and 2017 retrospectively. METHODS: The specimens from patientswith a pre-diagnosis of tuberculosis were stained with Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen method and evaluated microscopically. After then, specimens were inoculated onto Löwenstein-Jensen medium and BACTEC MGIT 960 (Becton Dickinson, USA) automated culture system. If bacterial growth was detected, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex typing was done and antituberculosis drug susceptibilities for streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol were tested at BACTEC MGIT 960 (Becton Dickinson, USA). RESULTS: Totally 78 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates were enrolled in the study. A single strain for each patient was taken to the study. Resistance rates of isoniazid, streptomycin and ethambutol were determined as 1.2%, 8.9% and 1.2%, respectively and no resistance to rifampicin was detected. 82% of the isolates were susceptible to all drugs and the highest resistance among antimycobacterial drugs was determined for streptomycin. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The single drug resistance that determined in our study was lower than 2017 tuberculosis report however it is known that there might have been differences between the regions.

Keywords

• mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
• antituberculosis drug
• resistance