Acquired Resistance to Isoniazid During Isoniazid Monotherapy in a Subject with Latent Infection Following Household Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis Contact: A Case Report

Abstract

Appropriate treatment is the key element in eliminating tuberculosis (TB), and requires prompt diagnosis. We presented a case of a household contact of rifampicin-resistant TB revealing reactive IFN-gamma release assay with unsuspicious clinical and radiologic examinations. She was diagnosed with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and treated with isoniazid monotherapy. On the ninth month, she developed a progressive cough and was found to harbor active TB disease with added resistance to isoniazid. An individualized anti-TB regimen consisting of moxifloxacin, kanamycin, prothionamide, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide was prescribed for 20 months, leading to sputum culture conversion and improvement of the reported symptom. No recurrence was observed on one-year follow-up. Assuming high compliance to therapy, we propose that the patient may have been underdiagnosed and received sub-optimal treatment leading to acquired-drug resistance. Conventional diagnosis methods based on immunological assay and radiographical findings may be insufficient to distinguish the incipient and subclinical states of TB from LTBI.

Mycobacterium tuberculosisFtsB and PerM interact via a C-terminal helix in FtsB to modulate cell division

“…Protocols that reduce the duration and adverse effects of treatment can reduce LTBI burden by improving completion rates for preventative treatment [4]. Furthermore, imperfect treatment over long periods can contribute to acquisition of drug resistance [5]. Consequently, it is imperative to better understand how Mtb infections persist to establish LTBI in order to inform strategies for novel LTBI treatments with higher efficacy, shorter durations, and reduced risk of drug resistance.…”