PREVALENCE OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS AND RIFAMPICIN RESISTANCE USING GENEXPERT MTB/RIF ASSAY IN JHANG, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains one of the leading public health challenges in developing countries such as Pakistan. With the increasing resistance to antibacterial drugs, Mycobacterium tuberculosis is also showing resistance to the first-line drug rifampicin. Resistance to rifampicin is a key indicator of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Accurate and timely diagnosis is crucial for effective tuberculosis treatment, as early detection of resistant strains is essential for appropriate patient management. This study was designed to find out the prevalence of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and growing resistance to these bacteria, tested at DHQ Hospital Jhang with the help of Genexpert MTB/RIF method. The study design was a retrospective cross-sectional study, and the duration was six months, from June to November 2024. Patient reports were inspected, and a total of 5074 suspected patients were included in our study. Male patients made up a slightly higher percentage (54.2%), and 0.9% of cases had rifampicin resistance. The study reveals a low frequency of rifampicin resistance and a significant burden of MTB in the community under investigation. These results emphasize how crucial early diagnosis and ongoing drug-resistance monitoring are to successful tuberculosis control.