Magnitude of multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis and associated risk factors among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Tigray region, Ethiopia

Multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is the main public health problem in resource constrained settings particularly in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where diagnostic and treatment service are limited. Therefore, we aimed to examine post-war prevalence of MDR-TB in Tigray region.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tigray Region between February 2024 and January 2025. 163 GeneXpert tested positive sputum samples were collected, transported and processed for acid-fast bacilli staining, culture and drug susceptibility testing. The 106 (65%) MTBC samples culture positive isolates were subjected to drug susceptibility test using 1st- and 2nd- line anti-TB drugs using molecular line probe assay. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression were done. A statistical test was regarded as significant when the P value was ˂0.05.

MDR-TB was detected at the rate of 18.9. Patients who smoke cigarettes (AOR = 15.64, 95% CI = 3.05580.126) were 15.64 times more likely to develop MDR-TB than those who did not smoke. HIV positive patients (AOR = 5.31, 95%CI 1.305–21.615) were 5.31times more than to develop MDR-TB than those who did not have HIV. Single TB patients were less likely to develop MDRTB compared to married and divorced TB patients.

The prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was high in Tigray region, especially in previously treated TB cases. This warrants urgent public health intervention to prevent the transmission of MDR-TB in the community.