Burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis by the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and its clinico-epidemiological aspects at a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal

Multidrug -resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) is a serious threat to mankind. India has the highest number of MDRTB cases, although majority remain undiagnosed due to inadequate diagnostic infrastructure, leading to increased community transmission and mortality. This one-year observational retrospective study highlighted the effectiveness of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) for prompt detection of drug-resistant TB by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay and revealed its associated clinico-epidemiological factors. The overall detection rates of MTB and RRTB were 20.70 % and 20.86 % respectively. The pediatric population had 7.69 % rifampicin resistance, and HIV was strongly associated with the development of TB and RRTB (P < 0.01).