Clinical Impact of Mycobacterium tuberculosis W-Beijing Genotype Strain Infection on Aged Patients in Taiwan

The impact of W-Beijing genotype Mycobacterium tuberculosis on treatment outcome was evaluated in 249 newly diagnosed turberculosis patients. No significant difference in the treatment outcome was found between the W-Beijing and non-W-Beijing groups. However, a poor outcome was more common in the elderly patients (>= 65 years) infected with the W-Beijing strain.