"The evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance in Greece during the last decade 1997-2006"

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Abstract

AIM To investigate the isolation frequency, the resistance rate to the first-line drugs, and the multi-drug resistant (MDR) rate in a total of 5244 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), isolated from sputum cultures, during the last decade.

MATERIAL-METHODS Patients were divided in native Greeks or immigrants and the study period was divided in two time intervals (1997-2001 and 2002-2006).

RESULTS We noticed a gradual increase in the isolation frequency during the first period, and a gradual decrease during the second period of the study. These fluctuations were in parallel with the immigration wave. The resistance rates (INH 6.7% and 13%, RIF 3% and 6.4%, in native Greeks and in immigrants, respectively) and the MDR rate (2.7% and 4.9%, respectively) were higher than that in other Western European countries. We noticed an increase in the MDR rate in the cohort of native Greeks, and a decrease in immigrants. We also investigated the extensively-drug resistant (XDR) rate during the years 2004-2006. XDR represented 0.6% of the total number of MTB isolates, and 22% of the MDR isolates, of the particular period.

CONCLUSIONS The MDR rate in Greece is increasing and thus represents a significant threat to the public health. Key words Mycobacterium tuberculosis, multi-drug resistant, MDR, extensively-drug resistant, XDR, Greeks, immigrants, resistance.