Drug resistance and Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain diversity in TB/HIV co-infected patients in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam

Abstract

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain diversity and drug resistance among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Vietnam have not been described previously.

Methods: We examined M. tuberculosis isolates from TB/HIV co-infected patients in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Drug susceptibility testing (DST), spoligotyping and 24-locus Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit (MIRU-24 typing) were performed, and the rpoB, katG, inhA and inhA promoter, rpsL, rrs and embB genes were sequenced in all drug resistant isolates identified.

Results: In total, 84/200 (42.0%) strains demonstrated "any drug resistance"; 17 (8.5%) were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Streptomycin resistance was present in 80 (40.0%) isolates; 95.2% (80/84) with "any drug resistance" and 100% with MDR. No rifampicin monoresistance was detected. Of the rifampicin resistant strains 16/18 (88.9%) had mutations in the 81-bp Rifampicin Resistance Defining Region (RRDR) of the rpoB gene. Isoniazid resistance was mostly associated with Ser315Thr mutations in the katG gene (15/17; 88.2%). Beijing (49.0%) and East African Indian (EAI) lineage strains (35.0%; 56/70 EAI-5) were most common.

Conclusion: TB/HIV co-infection in Vietnam was associated with high rates of TB drug resistance, although we were unable to differentiate new from retreatment cases.

Keywords: Drug resistance; Epidemiology; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; TB/HIV co-infection; Tuberculosis; Vietnam.