Abstract

FONSECA, Leila de Souza et al. Correlation between resistance to pyrazinamide and resistance to other antituberculosis drugs in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated at a referral hospital. J. bras. pneumol. [online]. 2012, vol.38, n.5, pp. 630-633. ISSN 1806-3713.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1806-37132012000500013.

The correlation between resistance to pyrazinamide (PZA) and resistance to other first-line antituberculosis drugs was investigated in 395 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from clinical specimens, representing 14% of the overall number of M. tuberculosis isolates obtained between 2003 and 2008 at the laboratory of a referral university hospital for tuberculosis. A high correlation was found between resistance to PZA and multidrug resistance, as well as between PZA resistance and resistance to rifampin, isoniazid, and ethambutol (p < 0.01 for all). These results highlight the importance of performing PZA susceptibility testing prior to the prescription of this drug in order to treat drug-resistant and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Keywords : Tuberculosis [drug therapy]; Tuberculosis [microbiology]; Antibiotics, antitubercular.