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Abstract Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic specific bacterial infection caused by bacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs (pulmonary tuberculosis) but, in a minority of cases other organs may also be involved (extra-pulmonary tuberculosis). There were 10.4 million new TB cases in 2016 and 1. 4 million TB deaths (1 million among HIV-negative people and 0. 4 million among HIV-positive people). Pulmonary tuberculosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, resulting in the greatest number of deaths due to any one single infectious agent. Drug resistance threatens global tuberculosis control efforts. In Egypt, Tuberculosis is considered to be the third most important communicable disease after schistosomiasis and hepatitis C. Strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis that are resistant to both isoniazid and rifampicin with or without resistance to other drugs have been termed multi-drug resistant strains. XDR including resistance to isoniazid, rifampicin, at least one of injectable 2nd line anti-TB drugs and a fluroquinolone with or without resistance to other drugs. |