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allied
academies
September 20-21, 2017 | Philadelphia, USA
Global summit on
TUBERCULOSIS AND LUNG DISEASE
Int J Respir Med 2017 Volume 2 Issue 2
Background:
South Africa has the highest incidence of TB in the world which the
world health organization estimated to be 860 per 100 000 in 2013. Compounding the
problem of TB is the high co-infection with HIV and the increasing drug resistance. This
led to the introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF test (Xpert) in 2011 to improve the diagnosis
of TB and detection of drug resistant TB. The guidelines recommend treatment of
all Xpert rifampicin resistant patients as MDR-TB cases while awaiting confirmation
by phenotypic or genotypic drug susceptibility testing. This study evaluates how the
Xpert has influenced the diagnosis and management of drug resistant TB in the highest
burdened district of KwaZulu-Natal Province.
Methods:
Data was retrospectively collected from all patients with rifampicin
resistance on Xpert performed between March 2011 and April 2012. Xpert results were
compared with those of phenotypic and/genotypic drug susceptibility testing. Patients’
medical records were used to determine the time to treatment initiation.
Results:
Out of 637 patients tested by Xpert, 50% had confirmatory results, of which
a third were sent on the same day as Xpert test. The rate of rifampicin discordance
and monoresistance was 8.8% and 13.4% respectively and there was no difference
between phenotypic and genotypic confirmation. Among those who had been initiated
on treatment, 28%, 40%, 21% and 8% of patients commenced within 2 weeks, 1
month, 2 months and 3 months of Xpert testing respectively, while the remaining 3%
were observed without treatment.
Conclusion:
This study emphasizes the importance of complying with the guidelines
in confirming all Xpert rifampicin resistant cases so as to ensure proper management
of these patients. Despite having a rapid diagnostic tool which can generate results in
a few hours, system associated challenges continue to result in delays in treatment
initiation
e:
Nomonde.dlamini@nhls.ac.zaEffects of introducing Xpert MTB/RIF test on Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis diagnosis in KwaZulu-
Natal South Africa
Nomonde R Mvelase
University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa