PRIMARY RESISTANCE TO ANTITUBERCULOSIS DRUGS IN ADDIS-ABABA, ETHIOPIA

OBJECTIVE: To obtain current, representative information on current dr ug resistance patterns in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. DESIGN: A cross-secti onal study whereby 167 isolates were tested for susceptibility to the anti-tuberculosis drugs commonly used in the country (isoniazid, thiac etazone, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol). All hospitals, heal th centres and 6 of the 9 clinics in Addis Ababa were included in the study. RESULT: Overall primary drug resistance was found to be 15.6% ( 26/167). Primary resistance to two or more drugs was 7.2% (12/167). Th e highest rate of primary resistance was to streptomycin (10.2%) follo wed by isoniazid (8.4%). Resistance to rifampicin was low (1.8%, 3/167 ) and to ethambutol nil. Multiple drug resistance in combinations with rifampicin was low. CONCLUSION: TO prevent further development and sp read of resistance, universal use of standard treatment protocol, cont rol of the circulation of anti-tuberculosis drugs, training of health workers, expansion of strictly supervised short-course treatment and e stablishing a nation-wide and regular surveillance system are recommen ded.