The PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF MULTI DRUG RESISTANT TUBERCULOSISAMONG REFUGEES IN THE RESETTLEMENTCAMPS OF ADJUMANI, MOYO AND YUMBE DISTRICTSWEST NILE REGION

pMDRTB

Abstract

Background:   Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a name given to tuberculosis agents when the bacteria are resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin, two of the most effective TB drugs. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of MDR-TB among the refugees in the resettlement camps of Adjumani, Yumbe, and Moyo districts, West Nile region.   Methodology:   This was a cross-sectional study where questionnaires were used to capture risk factors associated with MDR-TB and sputum samples (n=223) collected were examined using the gene expert machine. P values and corresponding 95% CI were calculated. All statistical tests were two-tailed and P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant.   Results:    143(64.1%) were males while 80 (35.9%) were females, with the age range of 3- 64 years and mean age of 32 years, out of 223 sputum samples analyzed on GeneXpert machine; 178 (79.8%) tested negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) while 45 (20.2%) tested positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Of the 45 samples that tested positive for MTB; 39 (17.5%) were rifampicin sensitive and 6 (2.7%) were rifampicin-resistant. Of the 39 case MTB cases detected in the refugee resettlement camps of Bidibidi, Itula, and Mungula, 17 (43.6%), 14 (35.9%), and 8 (20.5%) were from each mentioned camp respectively; whereas of the 6 MDR-TB cases detected; Mungula camp had the majority cases 3 (50%), Bidibidi camp had 2 (33.3%) cases and Itula had 1 (16.7%) cases. The Risk factors associated with MDR-TB among refugees was overcrowding 5 (83.3%) and not enrolled on DOTs, 5 (66.7%). There was no significant association between MDR-TB and age (P=0.43; 95%CI=0.163-0.233)   Conclusions and recommendations:    The general prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is 20.2% and MDR-TB is 2.7%.