Geographical heterogeneity of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Georgia, January 2009 to June 2011

Euro Surveill. 2014 Mar 20;19(11):20743. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.es2014.19.11.20743.

Abstract

In 2011, Georgia, in the Caucasus, reported that 11% of new and 32% of previously treated tuberculosis (TB) cases nationally had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). To help understand the mechanisms driving these high risks of drug-resistance and plan for targeted interventions, we identified geographical variability in the MDR-TB burden in Georgia and patient-level MDR-TB risk factors. We used routinely collected surveillance data on notified TB cases to estimate the MDR-TB incidence/100,000 people and the percentage of TB cases with MDR-TB for each of 65 districts and regression modelling to identify patient-level MDR-TB risk factors. 1,795 MDR-TB cases were reported (January 2009–June 2011); the nationwide notified MDR-TB incidence was 16.2/100,000 but far higher (837/100,000) in the penitentiary system. We found substantial geographical heterogeneity between districts in the average annual MDR-TB incidence/100,000 (range: 0.0–5.0 among new and 0.0–18.9 among previously treated TB cases) and the percentage of TB cases with MDR-TB (range: 0.0%–33.3% among new and 0.0%–75.0% among previously treated TB cases). Among treatment-naïve individuals, those in cities had greater MDR-TB risk than those in rural areas (increased odds: 43%; 95% confidence interval: 20%–72%). These results suggest that interventions for interrupting MDR-TB transmission are urgently needed in prisons and urban areas.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Epidemiological Monitoring
  • Geography*
  • Georgia (Republic) / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Logistic Models
  • Middle Aged
  • Population Surveillance
  • Risk Factors
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / epidemiology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents