Rifampicin resistance in new bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Cameroon: a cross-sectional survey

• Published in: BMC research notes Vol. 11; no. 1; p. 580
• Main Authors: Noeske, J, Yakam, A Nana, Foe, J L Abena, Nguafack, D, Kuaban, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 13.08.2018; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Antitubercular Agents - pharmacology; Bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis; Cameroon; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dosage and administration; Drug resistance; Drug therapy; Female; Global positioning systems; GPS; Humans; Laboratories; Male; Multidrug resistance; Multidrug resistant organisms; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; New cases; Patients; Population; Pulmonary tuberculosis; Research Note; Rifampicin resistance; Rifampin; Rifampin - pharmacology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Young Adult; Cameroon; New cases; Cameroon; Rifampicin resistance; Bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-018-3675-0

In Cameroon, tuberculosis (TB) cases are diagnosed and treated within a nationwide network of 248 diagnostic and treatment centres. In 2016, the centers notified a total of 175 multidrug-resistant (MDR-)TB cases, most of them retreatment cases. According to the WHO, the expected number of MDR-TB cases was estimated to be 1200 (1000-2200) corresponding to a rate of 6.8 (4.3-9.4) per 100,000 population. This indicates a notification gap of more than 80%. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MDR-TB in new bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB cases. We undertook a nationwide cross sectional survey during 6 weeks. During the study period, the NTP notified 1478 new bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB cases. Among them, 1029 (70%) had a valid Xpert result and 16 were identified with rifampicin resistant (RR-TB), a tracer of MDR-TB. This gives a prevalence of 1.6% (95% CI 0.8-2.3) among incident cases. The rate of RR-TB in the regions varied between 0 and 3.3%. If the results of this study are confirmed, the incidence rate given by WHO (2.8%, 95% CI 2.1-3.4) might be an over-estimation.