RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Impact of African immigration on drug resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Portugal JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 4894 VO 38 IS Suppl 55 A1 Carina Gaspar A1 Carlos Gomes A1 Nelson Diogo YR 2011 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/4894.abstract AB Background: Several works pointed immigration as a risk factor for drug resistance in Western countries. In Portugal immigration is responsible for 13,6% of tuberculosis cases, 75% of those cases being originated from Sub-Saharan African countries.Aim: To evaluate the role of immigration from African countries in drug resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) in Portugal.Methods: Comparative retrospective study between African immigrants (I) and native (N) patients with positive-culture to Mt and who realized susceptibility tests, admitted in a Pneumology unit from 2000 to 2010. Clinical-demographic characteristics, aetiopathogenic factors, drug resistance profiles and inhospital outcomes were evaluated.Results: 1328 patients were enrolled, 240 (18,1%) being immigrants, most of them from Portuguese spoken countries. Statistically significant differences were found on the following variables: drug addition (I:6,7% vs N:28,8%); WHO classification; number of previous treatments (I:0,21 vs N:0,37); duration of previous treatments (I:0,88 vs N:1,83); inhospital mortality (I:4,2% vs N:8,5%).The variables with predictive value for resistance in this population were HIV co-infection, number of previous treatments and chronic TB infection.The total incidence of drug resistance was similar in both groups (I:20,8% vs N:21,0%), but secondary resistances were less frequent in immigrants (I:5,4% vs N:9,7%).Conclusion: African immigration was not associated with increased prevalence of drug resistance to Mt. These findings can be explained by the reduced access to antituberculosis drugs in Sub-Saharan countries.