Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: treatment outcome in Denmark, 1992-2007

Scand J Infect Dis. 2010 Apr;42(4):288-93. doi: 10.3109/00365540903456282.

Abstract

A retrospective nationwide study including all culture-verified multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) cases was performed in Denmark. The aim was to examine the long-term treatment outcome of MDR-TB, to assess if MDR-TB transmission occurs, and to evaluate a rapid mutation analysis detecting rifampin and isoniazid resistance in this cohort. Clinical data were obtained from patient records. A restriction fragment length polymorphism genotype database of all TB cases was compared for identical strains indicating active transmission. Twenty-nine cases of MDR-TB were identified and the incidence was low at 0.5%. Acquired MDR-TB and active transmission was rare. Mutations in rifampin (rpoB) and isoniazid (katG, inhA) genes correctly determined resistance in 100% and 82% of all isolates tested, respectively. Initial treatment success was 89% for 27 MDR-TB patients with available outcome data. Initially 3 patients defaulted; no deaths were reported. Including successfully re-treated default patients and censoring patients who spent <2 y in the cohort, long-term treatment success was achieved for all 26 patients (mean follow-up 8.9 y). MDR-TB has a good prognosis in the high-income, low TB burden country of Denmark. Continued surveillance and rapid detection of resistance mutations directly in smear-positive patients may improve the standard of MDR-TB care.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Catalase / genetics
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Fingerprinting
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / genetics
  • Denmark / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Isoniazid / pharmacology
  • Isoniazid / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / classification
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rifampin / pharmacology
  • Rifampin / therapeutic use
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / epidemiology*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / transmission
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Catalase
  • katG protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • InhA protein, Mycobacterium
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • RNA polymerase beta subunit
  • Isoniazid
  • Rifampin