Open AccessStatus of antituberculosis drug resistance in Saudi Arabia 1979-98
Author(s) -
Abu-Amero Kk
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2002.8.4-5.664
Subject(s) - ethambutol , rifampicin , streptomycin , isoniazid , medicine , tuberculosis , mycobacterium tuberculosis , drug resistance , drug , environmental health , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , pharmacology , pathology , biology
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 clear