PRIMARY DRUG RESISTANCE TO RIFAMPICIN IN NEW TUBERCULAR MENINGITIS PATIENT WITH HIV INFECTION

Rajendra Saugat, Manak Gujrani, Pramod Thakral, Gunjan Soni, Akhil Kapoor*

ABSTRACT

Tubercular meningitis (TBM) is the most devastating consequence of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Rifampicin resistant TBM is the most severe form of Mycobacterium Tubercular infection. The estimated mortality due to TBM in India is 1.5 per 100,000 population. Patients with HIV and active tuberculosis have an increased risk of extra pulmonary tuberculosis, and this risk will also increase with declining CD4+ count. Primary drug resistance is due to infection with a resistant strain originating from a patient who has acquired resistance as a result of inadequate treatment. Patients of TBM and HIV are swallowing lots of drugs for many opportunistic infections beside TBM ,therefore chances of acquired drug resistance is high. Rifampicin resistant (TBM and Pulmonary) TB is considered as MDR tuberculosis, even though it is not MDR, therefore treatment for these condition, the guidelines have been issued by the Revise National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP), Guidelines on Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant TB (PMDT) in India.

Keywords: Tubercular meningitis, HIV/AIDS, Mortality, RNTCP, PMDT.