Status of antituberculosis drug resistance in Saudi Arabia 1979-98
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Abstract
All published material on the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis within Saudi Arabia over the period 1979-98 was reviewed. The prevalence of single-drug-resistant tuberculosis ranged from 3.4% to 41% for isoniazid, 0% to 23.4% for rifampicin, 0.7% to 22.7% for streptomycin and 0% to 6.9% for ethambutol. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis [defined by WHO as resist1qance to two or more first-line antituberculosis drugs] ranged from 1.5% to 44% in different regions. No strong conclusions could be drawn owing to variations in the populations studied, geographical origins, site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation [pulmonary or extrapulmonary] and drug sensitivity testing. However, the need to develop a standardized national policy for surveillance of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia is clearCitation
Abu Amero, K.K. (2002). Status of antituberculosis drug resistance in Saudi Arabia 1979-98. EMHJ - Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, 8 (4-5), 664-670, 2002 https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/119211