From August to December 1998, over a period of 5 months, a cross-sectional study had been carried out in Abidjan in order to analyze the epidemiological and microbiological features of BAAR+ TB patients in situation of failure or relapse after specific treatment. We investigated 79 patients enrolled in the departments of pulmonary disease of two general hospitals in Abidjan (CHU of Cocody and Treichville) and a TB outpatients' clinic. From 45 strains of Mycobacterium obtained by culture, 33 antibiograms were performed. The rate of multi-drug-resistance (MDR-TB) was 79%. Among MDR--TB patients, those aged of 20-40 years were the most concerned age group (72%) with a clear male predominant rate (sex ratio: 3). Among them 49/79 (62%) had an educational level lower or equal to primary school standarts and most of them lived in dwellings with common yard (67%). In their medical history only 40% had tuberculosis and 2 cases of self-medication were reported. MDR--TB prevailed among patients having at first a positive bacilloscopy. No link between HIV infection and MDR--TB was found.