The routine identification of mycobacterial strains isolated from patients in different locations in Egypt was confirmed by
specific DNA fragment amplification. The susceptibilities of 72 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains against the four
antibiotics used in tuberculosis treatment (Isoniazid, INH; Rifampicin, Rif; Streptomycin, St and Ethambutol, E) were
examined. Our results indicated that, multi drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) represents about 19.5% of the tested
strains, whereas sensitive strains represented 26.4%. The genetic polymorphism of the tested strains was examined
using RAPD analysis. Six selected strains represent the different antibiotic susceptibility groups were examined using
RAPD fingerprinting. No difference between the strains was recorded using the RFLP analysis of amplified specific
fragment. The discrimination power of RAPD analysis was inadequate to clarify the genetic correlation between the
tested strains. MDR-TB was approximately double time in 2008 compared with the value in 2007. Most of the new MDR-
TB was correlated with resident dense population regions.