DEMOGRAPHIC AND OCCUPATIONAL DETERMINANTS OF RIFAMPICIN-RESISTANT MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS IN PATIENTS LIVING IN BAYELSA STATE, NIGERIA

Background: Rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) is a major public health challenge, particularly in low-resource countries such as Nigeria, where diagnosis and treatment gaps exist. Study on Demographic and Occupational Distribution of Rifampicin Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis among TB Patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to detect rifampicin resistance among confirmed TB patients by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay. Sociodemographic variables like age, gender and occupation were analysed. Statistical significance was defined at p < 0.05. Results: All 15 (100%) TB isolates detected were rifampicin resistant. The prevalence was significantly higher in males than females (80.0% vs 20.0%) (p < 0.05). The prevalence was higher among individuals aged 14–57 years, although not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The occupational analysis revealed that the highest prevalence was among traders (43.9%) followed by civil servants and students with significant variation (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Rifampicin resistant TB is strongly associated with male gender and certain occupational categories, especially traders. The findings emphasise the need for targeted public health interventions for high-risk populations.