All published material on the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis within Saudi Arabia over the period 1979-98 was reviewed. The prevalence of single-drug-resistant tuberculosis ranged from 3.4% to 41% for isoniazid, 0% to 23.4% for rifampicin, 0.7% to 22.7% for streptomycin and 0% to 6.9% for ethambutol. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (defined by WHO as resistance to two or more first-line antituberculosis drugs) ranged from 1.5% to 44% in different regions. No strong conclusions could be drawn owing to variations in the populations studied, geographical origins, site of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolation (pulmonary or extrapulmonary) and drug sensitivity testing. However, the need to develop a standardized national policy for surveillance of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia is clear.