Primary and acquired pyrazinamide resistance in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated at a referral hospital in the city of Recife, Brazil.

Objective: To determine primary and acquired resistance to pyrazinamide in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in sputum samples from patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods: This was a prospective, descriptive study conducted between April and November of 2011 at a referral hospital for tuberculosis in the city of Recife, Brazil. Cultures, drug sensitivity tests, and tests of pyrazinamidase activity were conducted in a private laboratory in Recife.