Prevalence of Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Infections among HIV Patients

Background: Tuberculosis is estimated to be shown higher incidence among HIV population when compared to population without HIV infection. This study proposes to describe the prevalence of coinfection of HIV TB among patients attending hospital at Ongole and also aimed at assessing pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. Methods: With strict aseptic precautions, 3ml of venous blood sample will be collected by venepuncture using EDTA vacutainer and processed for HIV detection and CD4 estimation. Patients were also advised to go for Tuberculolsis diagnostic tests. Results: Out of 33 confirmed HIV - TB coinfection patients, Pulmonary tuberculosis was observed in 21 patients, 42% and extra pulmonary tuberculosis was diagnosed in 12 (24%) patients. Out of 33 HIV-TB coinfections, 15.1% TB pleural effusion, 6.06% TB pericardial effusion, 3.03% each of TB meningitis, TB abdomen, TB pericardial effusion, TB granuloma of brain, TB skin. Conclusion: Awareness has to be create among health care personnel in order to improve their decisions related to treatment and approaching towards diagnosis of HIV/TB coinfections.

HIV-infected presumptive tuberculosis patients without tuberculosis: How many are eligible for antiretroviral therapy in Karnataka, India?

For certain subgroups within people living with the human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] [active tuberculosis [TB], pregnant women, children <5 years old, and serodiscordant couples], the World Health Organization recommends antiretroviral therapy [ART] irrespective of CD4 count. Another subgroup which has received increased attention is ''HIV-infected presumptive TB patients without TB". In this study, we assess the proportion of HIV-infected presumptive TB patients eligible for ART in Karnataka State [population 60 million], India. This was a crosssectional analysis of data of HIV-infected presumptive TB patients diagnosed in May 2015 abstracted from national TB and HIV program records. Of 42,585 presumptive TB patients, 28,964 [68%] were tested for HIV and 2262 [8%] were HIV positive. Of the latter, 377 [17%] had active TB. Of 1885 ''presumptive TB patients without active TB", 1100 [58%] were already receiving ART. Of the remaining 785 who were not receiving ART, 617 [79%] were assessed for ART eligibility and of those, 548 [89%] were eligible for ART. About 90% of ''HIV-infected presumptive TB patients without TB" were eligible for ART. This evidence supports a public health approach of starting all ''HIV-infected presumptive TB patients without TB" on ART irrespective of CD4 count in line with global thinking about 'test and treat'