[Achievement of sputum culture negative conversion by minocycline in a case with extensively drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis].

A 33-year male was readmitted to our hospital for the treatment of multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in February 1993. Six years after the treatment, the left pleuropneumonectomy was done because of the enlargement of cavitary lesions with formation of fluid. Four years after the operation, M. tuberculosis from the patient was resistant to all first- and second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Apical lesion and cavitary lesion on the upper lung were still seen on chest X ray and sputum smear and culture were continuously positive. Minocycline and gatifloxacin were prescribed after five years of the operation. Sixteen months after changing the regimen sputum smear and culture converted negative. Chemotherapy was terminated in August 2007, two years after the negative conversion. One year after the termination of treatment no relapse occurred. We considered minocycline was effective in this case, because gatifloxacin was resistant by the drug susceptibility test and was previously used.