The epidemiological burden and trends of pulmonary tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance at the Atua Government Hospital, Ghana: a 12-year retrospective analysis

Introduction Tuberculosis, a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosi s is a global public health threat. The problem is compounded by the development of resistance to antimicrobial agents, especially, rifampicin resistance. This 12-year retrospective study was conducted to determine the trends of tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance at Atua Government Hospital in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality. Methods A retrospective study was conducted at Atua Government Hospital in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study population included archived records of suspected patients whose sputum samples were tested between 2013 and 2024 using the Gene Xpert Mycobacterium tuberculosis/Rifampicin (MTB/RIF) version 5.0 assay on the Gene Xpert platform (Cepheid, USA). Data were entered into Microsoft Excel 365, cleaned, and analysed using R version 4.5.0. Result The study included 3,976 participants, of which 610 (15.3%) tested positive for tuberculosis. Positivity was highest in the 41–60 years (17.1%). MTB was significantly higher in males (18.6%) compared to females (12.6%) (p<0.001). The highest prevalence of the infection was observed in 2021 (24.4%) and 2024 (21.7%), while the lowest occurred in 2023 (5.3%) (p<0.001). The prevalence of rifampicin resistance was 21.5% (131/610), with higher prevalence in females (26.3%) compared to males (17.6%). Conclusion The study reported Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance prevalence of 15.3% and 21.5% respectively. This high prevalence underscores the need for sustained efforts to combat the growing public health concern. There is therefore the need for enhancing surveillance systems and prioritising early detection strategies.