Evaluation of theSusceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Isolates Isolated from Clinical Specimens to Primer Antituberculous Drugs

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate antituberculosis drug susceptibility of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates, between 2014 and 2017 retrospectively. Materials and Methods:The specimens from patients with a pre-diagnosis of tuberculosis were stained with Ehrlich-Ziehl-Neelsen method and evaluated microscopically.After then, specimens were inoculated onto Löwenstein-Jensen medium and BACTEC MGIT 960 (Becton Dickinson, USA) automated culture system.If bacterial growth was detected, Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex typing was done and antituberculosis drug susceptibilities for streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol were tested at BACTEC MGIT 960 (Becton Dickinson, USA).Results: Totally 78 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates were enrolled in the study.A single strain from each patient was included in the study.Resistance rates of isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampicin and ethambutol were determined as 2,3%, 14,1%, 3,8% and 2,5%, respectively.And only rifampicin resistant isolate was not detected.82% of the isolates were susceptible to all drugs and the highest resistance among antimycobacterial drugs was determined for streptomycin.Conclusions: The single drug resistance that determined in our study was lower than 2017 tuberculosis report however the multidrug resistance rate is found partially higher.And the single drug resistance is higher for streptomycin.It is important to monitorize the resistance rates with active surveillance.