Epidemiological surveillance of tuberculosis among HIV/AIDS seropositive individuals attending ART center at a tertiary care teaching hospital
Authors: M. Neethi Chandra , A. Ramesh Babu , Prasad T. S. Durga , Devulapalli Meghana , S. K. Shabana Banu , B. Avanthi , B. Pavan Kumar 
Published: July 2017

Background:HIBackground: HIV/ AIDS is an epidemic that is most prevalent in India affecting people of different age groups, occupations and gender. It has a severe impact on the health status of the affected individuals. With the increase in the transmission of HIV there is also an increase in the existence of TB as a co-infection. In this context, the aim of our study is to emphasize the factors affecting the occurrence, transmission and prognosis of HIV/AIDS patients along with TB co-infection.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to March 2016 at an ART center in South India. All the seropositive patients with/ without opportunistic infection above the age of 18 years were included in the study.Results: Overall 374 patients were included in the study, of which the most affected age group was 18-45 years. Women constituted 55.61% of the total population. 64.17% of the individuals were married. Majority of them belonged to rural areas (64.97%) and were illiterates (37.43%). Commonly observed WHO clinical stage was I and functional status was working. Heterosexuality (93.65%) was the predominant route of transmission. 170 had TB with PTB (60.58%) being prevalent than EPTB (33.52%). The number of smear positive and smear negative cases were 37.79% and 27.55% respectively. DOTS therapy was accessible to only 49.99%.Conclusions: There was an extensive prevalence of TB among HIV/AIDS individuals. This signifies a need for increased screening of TB among HIV seropositive individuals and vice-versa. Preventive and educational programmes should be organised to halt the transmission of HIV and to reduce the newly occurring HIV infections. V/ AIDS is an epidemic that is most prevalent in India affecting people of different age groups, occupations and gender. It has a severe impact on the health status of the affected individuals. With the increase in the transmission of HIV there is also an increase in the existence of TB as a co-infection. In this context, the aim of our study is to emphasize the factors affecting the occurrence, transmission and prognosis of HIV/AIDS patients along with TB co-infection.Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted from October 2015 to March 2016 at an ART center in South India. All the seropositive patients with/ without opportunistic infection above the age of 18 years were included in the study.Results: Overall 374 patients were included in the study, of which the most affected age group was 18-45 years. Women constituted 55.61% of the total population. 64.17% of the individuals were married. Majority of them belonged to rural areas (64.97%) and were illiterates (37.43%). Commonly observed WHO clinical stage was I and functional status was working. Heterosexuality (93.65%) was the predominant route of transmission. 170 had TB with PTB (60.58%) being prevalent than EPTB (33.52%). The number of smear positive and smear negative cases were 37.79% and 27.55% respectively. DOTS therapy was accessible to only 49.99%.Conclusion: There was an extensive prevalence of TB among HIV/AIDS individuals. This signifies a need for increased screening of TB among HIV seropositive individuals and vice-versa. Preventive and educational programmes should be organised to halt the transmission of HIV and to reduce the newly occurring HIV infections.