Prevalence of drug resistance in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis presenting for the first time with symptoms at chest clinics in India. Part 2. Findings in urban clinics among all patients with or without history of previous chemotherapy

摘要

A previous report (Indian Council of Medical Research First Drug ResistanceudInvestigation, 1968) presented the results of a co-operative investigation on the prevalenceudof drug resistance in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, presenting for theudfirst time with symptoms at chest clinics in India and giving no history of previousudantituberculosis chemotherapy. However, the information obtained from that investigationudis of rather limited value because, in most clinics, fairly large proportions ofudpatients reporting for the first time do so with a history of previous treatment. This isudbecause antituberculosis chemotherapy is offered not only by chest clinics, but also byudgeneral hospitals and private practitioners. In these circumstances, informationudon the prevalence of drug resistance among all patients, irrespective of the history ofudprevious antituberculosis chemotherapy, will be of great value, not only to the cliniciansin-udcharge of the chest clinics but also to those responsible for formulating general policiesudof treatment in the country. The second drug resistance investigation was undertaken