Does the HIV/tuberculosis association favor the development of multidrug resistance TB (MDRTB) cases?
INTRODUCTION: The occurance over the past few years, in the USA, of Multidrug Resistant TB (MDRTB), epidemics among HIV infected individuals, has given rise to fears of a development and increase in the number of MDRTBs in African countries (south of the Sahara) where both TB and HIV infections are highly prevalent. It was therefore time to question whether HIV infection increased the risk of TB resistance and if it was necessary to resort to new treatment protocols with HIV infected individuals. METHOD: Analysis of surveillance data concerning the resistance of isolated bacilli of TB patients in Benin between 1991-1993 has not revealed any cases of MDRTB among new patients; the rate of MDRTB is 1.3% among previously treated patients. RESULTS: The recovery rate of patients receiving chemotherapy (2SRHZ/6TH) varies between 80-85% and, during the same period, the seroprevalence of HIV infection in TB patients has doubled, rising from 4.26% (1991) to 8.33% (1993). CONCLUSION: The results
