Geographical distribution and risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Central Peru

Abstract

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, multidrugresistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), defined as TB cases in which there is resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid, is a serios threat for public health, since nearly half million new cases of rinfampicin-resistant TB were reported in 2018, of which 78% were MDR TB. In Peru, 6 people fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) every hour and out of the 27 000 active TB cases reported per year, 10% are MDR TB cases. Objective: To determine the geographical distribution of MDR TB and the risk factors of this disease in the Junín region, located in central Peru. Materials and methods: Retrospective longitudinal case-control study. The study population consisted of 3 602 people with TB diagnosis confirmed with positive cultures for M. tuberculosis between January and December 2016. Cases were made up of patients diagnosed with MDR TB, and the remaining patients were the controls. Results: A higher prevalence of MDR-TB cases was observed in the central jungle of Peru, an area with a high incidence of TB. After performing the multivariate analysis, the following risks factors for developing multidrug resistance were found: history of TB treatment (OR: 1.61, 95%CI: 1.14-3.26), prior treatment failure (OR: 5.84, 95%CI: 4.03-8.21) and intra-household contact with people with MDR-TB (OR: 91.57, 95%CI: 34.56-289.14). Conclusions: The geographical distribution of MDR TB is non-heterogeneous and has a high incidence in the central jungle. In the case of patients recently diagnosed with TB, the possibility of MDR TB diagnosis should be considered if they have at least one of the risk factors identified here and come from an area where this disease is highly prevalent.