Assess drug resistance pattern and genetic profile of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates by molecular typing methods using direct repeats and in pulmonary tuberculosis cases.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB), a highly contagious disease that sees no gender, age, or race is mainly a disease of lungs. According to World Health Organization, a TB patient can be completely cured with 6-9 months of anti-TB treatment under directly observed treatment short course.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to check the mono, multi- and triple-drug resistance to first line drugs (FLDs) among TB patients and to access their genetic profile using DR 3074, DR 0270, DR 0642, DR 2068, and DR 4110 using molecular techniques.

Material And Methods: To gain a better understanding of drug resistant TB, we characterized 121 clinical isolates recovered from 159 drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients by genotyping. MTB isolates recovered from HIV- negative, and smear positive cases of both genders, age varied from 18 to 70 years with drug resistant-TB that was refractory to chemotherapy given for > 12 months. Of a total of 159 sputum smear positive patients sum number of male and female patients was 121 (76.10%) and 38 (23.89%), respectively. Among these patients, number of literate and illiterate patients were 123 (77.3%) and 36 (22.6%). 25 (15.7%) patients had farming as their occupation, 80 (50.3%) had nonagricultural occupation and 54 (33.9%) women were housewives.

Results: Mono drug resistant, multi-drug resistant, and totally drug resistant (TDR) cases of TB were calculated as 113.83%, 125.1%, and 67.9%. Isoniazid showed the highest percentage of resistance among the patients.

Conclusion: Any noncompliance to TB medications, lack of knowledge, and poor management in health centers, etc., results in the emergence of deadly direct repeat forms of TB, which are further complicated and complex to treat.