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The emergence of TB strains resistant to ≥3 classes of second-line drugs, termed “extensively drug-resistant” (XDR), is cause for great concern. Investigators recently assessed the prevalence and outcome of XDR-TB at a rural South African hospital, in which 40% of inpatients are HIV-infected.
Three groups were included: consecutive patients with smear-positive or recurrent TB for whom cultures were done between January and May 2005; all inpatients on the TB wards on a single day in February 2005; and consecutive inpatients and outpatients with suspected TB who presented between June 2005 and March 2006. Sputum samples were obtained from all participants for culture and drug-susceptibility testing.
Among 1539 patients, 542 were culture-positiv…