SPECIATION AND DRUG SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF PULMONARY ISOLATES OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS COMPLEX IN ABUTH, ZARIA

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in Nigeria. In spite of these challenges,
documented data with regards to its diagnosis and drug susceptibility in the Northern part of
Nigeria and especially Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria is scarce.
This research aimed to speciate and determine drug susceptibility profile of pulmonary isolates
of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in ABUTH, Zaria. A total of 270 patients aged ten years
and above that presented with features suggestive of pulmonary tuberculosis were recruited for
the study. Their sputa samples were collected for Zhiel Neelsen staining, culture on Lowenstein
Jenseen media and characterization was done using rapid kit (SD-Bioline Ag MPT64),
Genotypes MTBC and MTBDR plus (Hain life science GmbH Nehren Germany) were used for
drug susceptibility testing. Of the 270 suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients enrolled, 19
(7%) were AFB smear positive while 26 (9.6%) were culture positive. Of these isolates,
17(65.4%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) while 9 (34.6%) were
Mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT). Mycobacterium tuberculosis was the only
species of MTBC identified among this group. Susceptibility testing to two major first line
antituberculosis drugs was carried out on the Mycobacterium tuberculosis, 13 (76.5%) were
sensitive to rifampicin and isoniazid, 3 (17.6%) were resistant to isoniazid only and 1(5.9%) was
resistant to rifampicin only. No multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis was seen. In
conclusion, this study showed that Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the predominant MTBC
among suspected pulmonary tuberculosis patients in ABUTH Zaria and presence of resistance to
rifampicin and isoniazid is still relatively low.