The burden of pre-extensively and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis among MDR-TB patients in the Amhara region, Ethiopia.

The high proportion of MDR-TB patients resistant to at least one second line drug is alarming. Strengthening the laboratory facilities to monitor pre-XDR and XDR-TB patients is crucial. The TB programs need to give emphasis on the effective and rational use of second line drugs for newly diagnosed MDR-TB patients to prevent the emergence of pre-XDR/XDR-TB strains.