Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Tuberculosis in HIV-infected Patients Managed in Health Centres in Ethiopia - Identification of a Screening Algorithm for Active Tuberculosis and Determination of Outcome of Combined Antituberculosis and Antiretroviral Treatment
Brief Summary: Background: Increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa will require decentralization to primary health care. For this purpose, adapted methods for management of patients co-infected with tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are needed. Improved detection of TB in patients starting ART, and assessment of co-administration of ART and TB treatment are priorities in this field.

Aims: To identify clinical predictors of TB in patients starting ART, and to construct screening algorithms for TB in this population; to assess ART outcomes in patients receiving TB treatment at health centre level.

Work plan: The project is performed in health centres providing ART in Ethiopia. A cohort of HIV positive patients initiating ART is prospectively followed. Baseline characteristics are registered; blood samples for CD4 cells, HIV RNA and immunological markers are collected, as well as sputum for TB culture and PCR. During ART, clinical data, CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels are followed. Patients with TB are compared to those without TB with regard to ART outcome. Baseline factors associated with TB will be used to construct TB screening algorithms.

Recruitment of the cohort was completed in March 2013; follow-up for determination of long term outcome of ART will be continued until 2016.

Significance: These studies give insight into TB-HIV co-infection at primary health care level in a Sub-Saharan region, and may impact future guidelines for management of such patients.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* HIV infection
* Fulfills criteria for antiretroviral therapy (CD4 cell count below 350 cells/ml and/or WHO stage IV)
* Residence in study uptake area
* Written informed consent to participation and to tracing in case of defaulting

Exclusion Criteria:

* Ongoing or previous antiretroviral therapy
* Treatment for active tuberculosis for more than two weeks
B: Inclusion Criteria:

1. 2x smear negative or sputum scarce TB suspects
2. Primary care patient (not referred by doctor)
3. Adult patients (\>18 years)
4. Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Not meeting inclusion criteria
2. \<18 years
3. Unable to provide informed consent
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Able and willing to give informed consent
2. Ambulant patient presenting to TB clinic

   IF HIV negative requires 2 or more of the following:
   * Cough ≥ 2 weeks
   * loss of weight
   * persistent fever ≥ 2 weeks and/or
   * a single recorded temp \> 38°C
   * night sweats
   * generalized fatigue
   * hemoptysis or
   * chest pain

   OR if HIV positive - any one of the following:
   * current cough
   * night sweats
   * fever
   * loss of weight
3. Patient 18 years or above

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to provide informed consent (e.g. mentally impaired)
2. Unable to produce 2 sputa of ≥ 1ml
3. TB treatment within the last 60 days
4. Unable to potentially return for study follow-up at 2 and 6 months (i.e. leaving community)
5. Patient not meeting inclusion criteria
D: Inclusion Criteria:

laboratories -and not subjects - will be randomized. All laboratories will start doing smears, when indicated by randomization, they will switch to Xpert MTB/Rif. There are no inclusion or exclusion criteria for the labs. Sputum specimens from non-diagnostic (follow up) patients, second samples for diagnostic tests, insufficient volume/visible blood specimens will be excluded from the Xpert testing.

Answer: A