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. 2009 Jan;13(1):68-73.

Prevalence and risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the Republic of Georgia: a population-based study

N Lomtadze  1 , R Aspindzelashvili, M Janjgava, V Mirtskhulava, A Wright, H M Blumberg, A Salakaia
Affiliations

Prevalence and risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the Republic of Georgia: a population-based study

N Lomtadze et al. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2009 Jan.

Abstract

Setting: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB, defined as resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin) has emerged as a serious global public health problem, especially in the former Soviet republics. The extent of the problem in Georgia has been incompletely defined.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for MDR-TB in Georgia.

Design: A population-based study was carried out between July 2005 and May 2006.

Results: Of 1314 patients with acid-fast bacilli smear- and culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), 799 (60.8%) were newly diagnosed patients and 515 (39.2%) had been treated previously. Overall, 733 (56%) patients had resistance to at least one anti-tuberculosis drug and 195 (15%) had MDR-TB. Patients who had been treated previously for TB were significantly more likely to have MDR-TB than newly diagnosed patients (141/515 [27.4%] vs. 54/794 [6.8%], OR 5.27, 95%CI 3.75-7.41). In multivariate analysis, previous TB treatment (aOR 5.47, 95%CI 3.87-7.74) and female sex (aOR1.58, 95%CI 1.02-2.32) were independent risk factors for the presence of MDR-TB.

Conclusions: Drug-resistant TB, including MDR-TB, has emerged as a major public health problem in Georgia. Further TB control efforts need to be implemented to prevent the development of new cases of MDR-TB and to treat existing patients with MDR-TB.

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