Time to initiation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment and its relation with outcome in a high incidence district in Lima, Peru.

OBJECTIVE:To determine the time from diagnosis to start of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) treatment in Lima, Peru. METHODS:We studied new smear-positive TB adults that were started on MDR TB treatment or that were switched to it between June 2008 and December 2011. RESULTS:Time from the first positive smear to MDR-TB treatment was >30 days in 35% (13/37) of patients. Among the 27% (24/88) of patients that switched to MDR-TB treatment, time from the last dose of a drug-susceptible regimen was >30 days. CONCLUSION:Start of and switching to MDR TB treatment is still delayed.