CORRELATION OF ACETYLATOR STATUS, PIIENYLTHIOCARBAMIDE (PTC) TASTE SENSITIVITY AND BLOOD GROUPS OF TUBERCULOSIS (TB) PATIENTS ACCESSING MEDICARE IN ALUSHI MEDICAL CENTRE, AKWANGA.

Isoniazid also known as isonicotinylhydrazide (INH), is an antibiotic used for the treatment of tuberculosis, it is highly effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The drug is metabolized by acetylation, which varies among individuals. Therefore for effective treatment outcomes that is free from hepatotoxicity, an individual’s acetylator status must be determined.The correlation of blood groups, acetylator status and phenylthiocarbamide taste sensitivity in Tuberculosis (TB) patients accessing Medicare in Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC), Alushi Medical Centre, Akwanga was determined. A total of 150 TB patients: 102 (68%) males and 48 (48%) females. The blood group test was conducted using the tile method. Out of the 150 samples 16 (10.6%) were group A+, 5 (3.3%) group A-, 39(26.0%) group B+, 5 (3.3%) group B-, 66 (44.0%) group 0+, 8 (5.0%) group 0-, 10 (6.7%) group AB+- and 1 (0.7%) were group AB-. The acetylator phenotype was achieved by measuring the percentage of acetylisoniazid in the urine after a unique oral dose of 300mg of acetylators. TB patients were treated for two months with standard regimen combining rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol. Tasters and non-tasters of PTC were determined among the participants using PTC taste strips. Exactly 127 (84.7%) and 23 (15.3%) were tasters and non-tasters respectively. Using pearson correlation, the results obtained showed a significantly (p<0.01) strong positive correlation (correlation coefficient of 0.99) between the blood group and sensitivity (positive) to PTC of TB patients. However, the correlation coefficient between blood group and inability (negative) to taste PTC was 0.527, indicating a weaker and non-significant (p<0.01) positive correlation was also obtained (correlation coefficient of 0.852) between the blood group and fast acetylators. Similarly, significant (p<0.05) positive correlation was obtained between blood group and the slow acetylators, with a correlation coefficient of 0.767. The results showed a significant (p<0.01) positive correlation (correlation coefficient of 0.852); a near-perfect correlation between the blood group of TB patients attending Alushi Hospital and the fast acetylators. Also, significant (p<0.05) positive correlation was obtained between blood group and the slow acetylators, with a correlation coefficient 0.767.There was a significant correlation between the blood group and the acetylator phenotype of TB patients. However, there was no correlation between blood group and inability to taste PTC.