The role of micronutrients and co infection in pulmonary tuberculosis. a randomized controlled trial in mwanza, tanzania / The role of micronutrients and co infection in pulmonary tuberculosis. a randomized controlled trial in Mwanza, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the World s major public health problems with one third of the world's population being infected, and each year eight million new cases of TB develop with three million new cases 80% occur in sub-Saharan Africa with 30-70% of the TB patients being HIV infected .HIV is recognized as the most important risk factor TB reactivation and the increased TB incident .Tanzania is among the 22 high TB burden countries in the world with 20-70% of TB cases being co-infected with HIV, TB is the third cause of deaths in the country after malaria and HIV/ AIDS among adults. In addition to a high prevalence of HIV infection, parasitic co-infections and micronutrient deficiency are also prevalence and may together contribute to the fast progressions of the disease and high mortality. Despite the fact that anti-TB drugs are still affective in curing TB, a long period of treatment is required.