Author: Philippine Nationwide Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey Team,

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 13, Number 4, April 2009 , pp. 500-507(8)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Abstract:

SETTING: The Philippines, one of the high tuberculosis (TB) burden countries.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in the first nationwide systematic survey.

DESIGN: A population-proportionate cluster sampling method was employed. Smear-positive pulmonary TB patients aged ≥15 years were eligible. Drug susceptibility testing was performed against four first-line drugs, i.e., isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and streptomycin.

RESULTS: A total of 1091 patients were enrolled during a 17-month period starting in June 2003, of whom 935 (85.7%) were new cases and 121 (11.1%) previously treated cases. Resistance to any of the four drugs was seen in 20.4% (95%CI 18.1-22.9) of new cases, in 38.8% (95%CI 27.8-51.1) of previously treated cases and in 22.1% (19.7-24.9) of both new and previously treated cases combined. The prevalence of multidrug resistance was respectively 3.8% (95%CI 2.6-5.5), 20.9% (95%CI 13.0-32.0) and 5.7% (95%CI 4.3-7.5). The prevalence of drug resistance among new cases was higher than the global average and it was widespread throughout the country.

CONCLUSION: Confronted with the high prevalence of drug resistance, current efforts by the government to ensure better quality treatment programme should be strengthened.

Keywords: drug resistance; tuberculosis; survey; Philippines

Document Type: Regular paper

Publication date: 2009-04-01

More about this publication?

• The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease publishes articles on all aspects of lung health, including public health-related issues such as training programmes, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, epidemiology, intervention studies and health systems research. The IJTLD is dedicated to the continuing education of physicians and health personnel and the dissemination of information on tuberculosis and lung health world-wide.

  Certain IJTLD articles are selected for translation into French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian. They are available on the Union website

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine
• By this author: Philippine Nationwide Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Survey Team,

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers