Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis: Prevalence and Risk Factors among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The introduction of GeneXpert technology for the diagnosis of tuberculosis and detection of rifampicin resistance has revolutionised the efforts of TB control in Africa. Even with this renewed efforts, there is paucity of data on Multidrug Resistant/Rifampicin Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) in North eastern Nigeria. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of rifampicin resistant-TB and its associated risk factors in this region plagued by insurgency.
Methods: A retrospective review of records of 136 sputum smear positive pulmonary TB cases between September 2014 and January 2017 was undertaken. The sociodemographic and risk factors were obtained from the patients' case notes. Detection of MTB and rifampicin resistance was done using automated polymerase chain reaction (GeneXpert MTB/RIF). Data were analyzed using statistical Package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20; bivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations between various risk factors.
Results: The age range of the patients was 18 to 85 years, with a mean age of 33.1 ±7.67 years. Males constituted a majority (61.8%) of the patients. Overall, 94.1% of the samples from the studied population were susceptible to rifampicin and 5.9% were resistant. Previous use of anti- TB medication was the only statistically significant risk factor associated with rifampicin resistance.
Conclusion: Rifampicin resistant TB is prevalent in our community housing many internally displaced persons, and high index of suspicion is required to avoid its spread. Use of previous anti-TB medication was identified as an independent risk factor for acquisition of rifampicin resistant TB, and this calls for the strengthening of TB control programmes in the region.