TITLE:
Characterization of TB/HIV Co-Infected Patients Receiving TB Treatment at a DOTS Clinic, in a Tertiary Hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Echendu D. Adinma, Darlington C. Obi, Emmanuel C. Azuike, Victor A. Mbanuzuru, Ifeoma C. Iloghalu
KEYWORDS:
Characterization, TB/HIV, Co-Infected Patients
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Tuberculosis Research,
Vol.3 No.4,
October
30,
2015
ABSTRACT: Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a specific infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis while acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal illness caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Both of them constitute the main burden of infectious public health disease in many parts of the world, particularly in resource limited countries like Nigeria. This study sets out to describe TB/HIV co-infected patients accessing care at the DOTS clinic in a tertiary hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria. Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively at the DOTS clinic of NAUTH Nnewi. A structured proforma was used to extract specific characteristics of TB/HIV co-infected patients who received TB treatment for the period of 1st January 2013 to 31st December 2013. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS version 20. Results: Ninety eight patients (40.6%) were TB/HIV co-infected, out of the two hundred and forty one patients treated for tuberculosis in the DOTS clinic during the period under review. These were the findings among the TB/HIV co-infected patients: there were more females (51%) than males (49%); the commonest age group affected was the group 30 - 39 years (34.7%); majority of the patients (91.8%) had pulmonary TB as against extrapulmonary TB (8.2%) and most of the patients had negative sputum AFB result (43.9%) as against those with positive result (36.7%). Conclusion: This study demonstrated some important characteristics of TB/HIV co-infected patients. Such knowledge if taken into consideration in both the tuberculosis control and HIV control programs will improve the outcomes of the programs.