Poly-resistant tuberculosis outbreak in Northern Portugal: a nine year tale

Abstract

In 2017, the notification rate of tuberculosis in the Northern Region of Portugal was 21.1 cases per 100 000 inhabitants. According to the National Tuberculosis Programme Surveillance System (SVIG-TB), poly-resistance to isoniazid and streptomycin (PR-HS) represented 2.6–5% of the cases notified in the Northern Region between 2009 and 2017 Although they represent a relatively low proportion of cases in Portugal, poly-resistances such as PR-HS are precursors to multidrug resistance and, consequently, should be closely monitored.