The rates of
MDR tuberculosis in Pakistan vary from 2.3% in untreated individuals to an alarming 17.9% in individuals who have been previously treated for the disease11 but in our study quite high value of MDR-TB patients have been reported.
Evidence for the critical role of a secondary site rpoB mutation in the compensatory evolution and successful transmission of an
MDR tuberculosis outbreak strain.
* All patients were diagnosed to have
MDR tuberculosis.
'Health, social and economic implications of
MDR tuberculosis are devastating and can not be left unattended,' he said.
Moreover, the findings of the current study will assist to understand molecular mechanisms of drug resistance and in the use of molecular-based techniques for rapid diagnosis of
MDR tuberculosis in high burden TB regions like Pakistan.
MDR tuberculosis cases have to be treated with second line drugs which are more toxic more expensive and less effective.
"With ease of international travel, and increased rates of
MDR tuberculosis in eastern Europe, central Asia, and elsewhere, the threat and range of the spread of untreatable tuberculosis is very real," the report said.
However, TB action has to be scaled up from all dimensions to meet the growing challenges with regard to both simple and uncomplicated Tuberculosis and drug resistant or
MDR Tuberculosis.
PETTS was launched in 2003 to determine risk factors for and frequency of acquired resistance to second-line therapies in people with
MDR tuberculosis. In 2005, the program began to include data on people with XDR tuberculosis.