Fluoroquinolone resistance among Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from Karachi, Pakistan: data from community-based field clinics

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2011 Feb;55(2):929-30. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00931-10. Epub 2010 Dec 6.

Abstract

A fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance rate of 5.9% is reported in 205 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from patients presenting to field clinics in Karachi, Pakistan (2006 to 2009). FQ resistance among multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains was 11.1% (5/45), and it was 4.9% (5/103) in M. tuberculosis strains susceptible to all first-line agents. Spoligotyping of resistant strains did not show dominance of one strain type. Our data reflect considerable FQ-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates and the need to consider inclusion of FQ within first-line sensitivity testing in such settings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Care Facilities / statistics & numerical data
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial* / genetics
  • Fluoroquinolones / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / classification
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Oligonucleotides / analysis
  • Pakistan / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / epidemiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / epidemiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology
  • Urban Population

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Fluoroquinolones
  • Oligonucleotides