Long-Term Outcome Poor in Patients with XDR TB in South Africa

At 5 years, 73% of 107 patients with XDR tuberculosis had died; posttreatment sputum-positive patients returned to the community, likely contributing to disease spread.

In South Africa, where tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem (2012 incidence almost 1000 per 100,000 population), guidelines specify that patients with extensively drug-resistant (XDR) disease should be admitted to designated treatment facilities.

Now, investigators have prospectively followed a cohort of 107 adults (44 HIV-infected) with XDR TB to assess long-term outcomes. All were treated as inpatients at designated facilities with directly observed therapy until culture conversion, death, or discharge because of treatment failure. Overall, 64% had isolates resistant to ≥8 drugs. Patients received intensive multidrug therapy (6–10 drugs) for a median of 22.1 months; the most commonly used agents were capreomycin, para-am…

Reviewing Author

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Mary E. Wilson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardOneHealthTrust (formerly Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics, and Policy); Global Health Institute, University of Wisconsin

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsJournal of Travel Medicine

Long-Term Outcome Poor in Patients with XDR TB in South Africa

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Reviewing Author