ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To analyze the situation of resistance to antituberculous drugs among strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis recovered in our environment during a five-year period and its relationship with HIV co-infection. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Review of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains recovered from patients aged older than 14 years in Hospital Joan March from 1992 to 1996 of which a susceptibility testing study by means of the multiple proportions method was available. The initial or secondary resistance was considered according to the previous antituberculosis treatment antecedent. RESULTS: The susceptibility testing was available from 179 cases (136 males and 43 females) out of a total of 214. The overall resistance rate to any of the tested drugs was 10.1% (18 cases) with a 4% (6 cases) of initial and 38.7% (12 cases) secondary resistances. Co-infection with HIV showed not to be a risk factor for the development of resistance. No significant increase was observed analyzing the temporal trend through the five years studied. CONCLUSIONS: At present, the situation of resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis seems not to be alarming in our environment. Co-infection with HIV has not been shown to be associated with an increase in resistance rates.
