SETTING: A district in rural sub-Saharan Africa with a recently introduced antiretroviral (ARV) programme. The population has high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and high tuberculosis (TB) incidence. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HIV and acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) related symptoms in people presenting with chronic cough who are not diagnosed with TB. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of TB suspects. METHODS: Patients with chronic cough were recruited from out-patient facilities. After standard diagnostic procedures and providing informed consent, they received counselling and testing for HIV, and were interviewed and examined with respect to staging criteria for HIV/AIDS. Suspects were followed up for 3 months after the end of the recruitment period to allow for delayed diagnosis of TB. RESULTS: Of 145 suspects, 79% had not been diagnosed with TB by the end of the follow-up period. Of these, 108 (95%) agreed to HIV testing and 61 (56%) were HIV-positive. More than half of these were eligible for ARV treatment (Stage III or IV disease) under national programme criteria. CONCLUSION: Established chronic cough clinics are a useful setting for recruitment of patients to ARV clinics. Attendees should be offered HIV testing and simple clinical screening to identify those who should be referred for ARV treatment.
SETTING: A district in rural sub-Saharan Africa with a recently introduced antiretroviral (ARV) programme. The population has high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and high tuberculosis (TB) incidence. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of HIV and acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) related symptoms in people presenting with chronic cough who are not diagnosed with TB. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of TB suspects. METHODS:Patients with chronic cough were recruited from out-patient facilities. After standard diagnostic procedures and providing informed consent, they received counselling and testing for HIV, and were interviewed and examined with respect to staging criteria for HIV/AIDS. Suspects were followed up for 3 months after the end of the recruitment period to allow for delayed diagnosis of TB. RESULTS: Of 145 suspects, 79% had not been diagnosed with TB by the end of the follow-up period. Of these, 108 (95%) agreed to HIV testing and 61 (56%) were HIV-positive. More than half of these were eligible for ARV treatment (Stage III or IV disease) under national programme criteria. CONCLUSION: Established chronic cough clinics are a useful setting for recruitment of patients to ARV clinics. Attendees should be offered HIV testing and simple clinical screening to identify those who should be referred for ARV treatment.
Authors: Nwarbébé Barnabas Njozing; San Sebastian Miguel; Pius Muffih Tih; Anna-Karin Hurtig Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-03-12 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Myrsini Kaforou; Victoria J Wright; Tolu Oni; Neil French; Suzanne T Anderson; Nonzwakazi Bangani; Claire M Banwell; Andrew J Brent; Amelia C Crampin; Hazel M Dockrell; Brian Eley; Robert S Heyderman; Martin L Hibberd; Florian Kern; Paul R Langford; Ling Ling; Marc Mendelson; Tom H Ottenhoff; Femia Zgambo; Robert J Wilkinson; Lachlan J Coin; Michael Levin Journal: PLoS Med Date: 2013-10-22 Impact factor: 11.069
Authors: Ajay Mv Kumar; Devesh Gupta; Ashok Kumar; R S Gupta; Avinash Kanchar; Raghuram Rao; Suresh Shastri; M D Suryakanth; Chethana Rangaraju; Balaji Naik; Deepak K Guddemane; Prashant Bhat; Achuthan Sreenivas Nair; Anthony David Harries; Puneet Dewan Journal: PLoS One Date: 2016-05-31 Impact factor: 3.240