TB stigma and its correlates among HIV-positive people who inject drugs in Ukraine.

BACKGROUND: TB is commonly stigmatized. Correlates of perceived TB stigma have not been assessed specifically among HIV-positive people who inject drugs (PWIDs). It is also unclear how perceived TB stigma intersects with other forms of stigma affecting this population. We aimed to evaluate perceived TB stigma, its correlates and its intersection with HIV and substance use stigma among HIV-positive PWIDs in Ukraine.METHODS: Among 191 participants at three sites across Ukraine, we assessed stigma scores, socio-demographic, behavioral and health-related variables by TB status (history of active TB infection, history of treatment for latent TB infection LTBI, no history of TB infection). We used self-reported history of LTBI treatment as a proxy for LTBI status. We used ordinary least squares to estimate factors associated with perceived TB stigma.RESULTS: Lower perceived TB stigma scores were associated with LTBI status (adjusted beta (aß) -0.2, 95% CI -0.3 to 0.0; P = 0.032). Higher perceived TB stigma scores were associated with higher substance use stigma scores (aß 0.1, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.2; P = 0.004). Depressive symptoms were common in this sample, although not significantly associated with TB status.CONCLUSION: History of LTBI treatment appears to impact beliefs about perceived TB stigma. Individuals who endorse higher substance use stigma are more likely to hold stigmatizing perceptions about people with TB. HIV-positive PWIDs with history of active TB infection or LTBI treatment commonly experience mental health distress. This stigma intersection needs further exploration in this population, including of its relation with mental health, to provide further insights for targeted interventions.

[The functional morphology of the regional inguinal lymph nodes during the endolymphatic antibiotic therapy of patients with vascular diseases of the lower extremities]. / Funktsional'naia morfologiia regionarnykh pakhovykh limfaticheskikh uzlov pri éndolimfaticheskoi antibiotikoterapii u bol'nykh s zabolevaniiami sosudov nizhnikh konechnostei.

The general structure and cell composition of the inguinal lymph nodes has been analysed at a direct endolymphatic antibiotic therapy, performed with the aim of prophylaxis of suppurative complications, when surgical interventions are performed in the vessels of the lower extremities. Morphokinetics of the lymph nodes depends on duration of the endolymphatic therapy. During early terms it reflects an increase in transport function of the regional inguinal lymph nodes, during late terms it reflects an increase in their immune role. In the lymph nodes, situating on the contralateral side, an analogous reaction is revealed; this appears to demonstrate presence of well developed collaterals between lymph vessels of the lower extremities.