BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The dual epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis is a cause for concern in those countries where these two infections are prevalent in epidemic proportions. We undertook a survey at two sites in North Arcot district of Tamil Nadu in 1992-1993, to know the seroprevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients. The objective of this study was to re-examine the prevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosis patients in a repeat survey. METHODS: The study was undertaken in four centres: District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC), Vellore, Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Pennathur (Vellore), District TB Centre (DTC), Kancheepuram and the Government Thiruvotteswarar Tuberculosis Hospital (GTTH), Chennai in the northern part of Tamil Nadu during 1997-1998. A total of 2361 newly diagnosed TB patients were registered in this study. HIV serology after pre-test counseling was done along with sputum examination for acid-fast bacillus by smear and culture for mycobacteria for all patients. RESULTS: The overall HIV seroprevalence among TB patients was 4.7 per cent. The highest HIV seropositivity rate was found among patients aged 30-39 yr (10.6%). HIV seroprevalence showed a wide variation among the different centres ranging from 0.6. per cent in DTC, Kancheepuram to 9.4 per cent in Pennathur Sanatorium, Vellore. Sputum smear positivity was 88 per cent among the HIV-negative and 83 per cent among HIV-positive tuberculosis patients. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: HIV infection is on the rise among TB patients in Tamil Nadu. Acid-fast smear microscopy is adequate for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, and drug resistance among HIV positive patients is not a major problem at this point of time; hence antituberculosis regimens recommended by the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) can be used to treat HIV positive patients with tuberculosis.
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: The dual epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis is a cause for concern in those countries where these two infections are prevalent in epidemic proportions. We undertook a survey at two sites in North Arcot district of Tamil Nadu in 1992-1993, to know the seroprevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosispatients. The objective of this study was to re-examine the prevalence of HIV infection among tuberculosispatients in a repeat survey. METHODS: The study was undertaken in four centres: District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC), Vellore, Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Pennathur (Vellore), District TB Centre (DTC), Kancheepuram and the Government Thiruvotteswarar Tuberculosis Hospital (GTTH), Chennai in the northern part of Tamil Nadu during 1997-1998. A total of 2361 newly diagnosed TBpatients were registered in this study. HIV serology after pre-test counseling was done along with sputum examination for acid-fast bacillus by smear and culture for mycobacteria for all patients. RESULTS: The overall HIV seroprevalence among TBpatients was 4.7 per cent. The highest HIV seropositivity rate was found among patients aged 30-39 yr (10.6%). HIV seroprevalence showed a wide variation among the different centres ranging from 0.6. per cent in DTC, Kancheepuram to 9.4 per cent in Pennathur Sanatorium, Vellore. Sputum smear positivity was 88 per cent among the HIV-negative and 83 per cent among HIV-positive tuberculosispatients. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION:HIV infection is on the rise among TBpatients in Tamil Nadu. Acid-fast smear microscopy is adequate for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, and drug resistance among HIV positive patients is not a major problem at this point of time; hence antituberculosis regimens recommended by the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP) can be used to treat HIV positive patients with tuberculosis.
Authors: Sunita Grover; Gopal Chawla; H L Parihar; Ram Niwas; Anil Saxena; Suman Khangarot; Naresh Kumar; Rajani Kumawat Journal: J Family Med Prim Care Date: 2020-05-31