Hiv infection seroprevalence in tuberculosis patients

摘要

Objective: To find out (1) the prevalence of HIV infection in tuberculosis patients in and around Aligarh and (2) clinical presentations of tuberculosis in HIV infected patients and the associated complications. Methodology: All tuberculosis patients diagnosed between August 1996 and June 2001 were screened for HIV infection by ELISA technique after informal consent and the positive results were re-confirmed by repeat ELISA test. Results:Prevalence of HIV infection rose from 0.8% in 1996-97 to 0.91% in 1997-98, 1.24% in 1998-99, 1.8% in 1999-2000 and 2.82% in 2000-2001. Out of total 91 HIV positive patients, 78 (85.71%) were males and 13 (14.29%) were females. Eighty seven (95.60%) patients had contracted HIV infection through sexual contact, 3 by blood transfusion and one by sharing of needles. Sixty eight (74.73%) patients had pulmonary tuberculosis, 12 (13.19%) had pleural effusion, 4 (4.4%) had lymphadenitis, 5 (5.5%) had both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and 2 (2.2%) had miliary tuberculosis. Associated complications were piesent in 68 (74.73%) patients: oral candidiasis in 57 (62.64%), chronic or recurrent diarrhoea in 7 (7.69%), herpes zoster in 2 (2.2%) and pyrexia of unknown origin in 2 (2.2%) patients.Conclusion: The trend of dual infection with HIV and tuberculosis in the area is rising. Pulmonary tuberculosis is the commonest lesion followed by pleural effusion. Oral candidiasis is the commonest associated complication.