Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 infection in Zambian children with tuberculosis: changing seroprevalence and evaluation of a thioacetazone-free regimen.
METHODS
This study was conducted at the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University Teaching Hospital (UTH), in Lusaka, Zambia.


OBJECTIVE
To monitor the seroprevalence of HIV type-1 in children with tuberculosis and to evaluate the response to anti-tuberculosis therapy using a thioacetazone-free treatment regimen.


METHODS
A prospective cross-sectional study of all consecutive newly diagnosed cases of TB in children from 1 month-15 years of age seen at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia between 1 October 1991 and 31 May 1992.


RESULTS
120 children with a clinical diagnosis of tuberculosis and 167 controls were enrolled in the study. The overall HIV type-1 seroprevalence rate in children with tuberculosis was 55.8% (67/120) compared to 9.6% (16/167) amongst the control group (P < 0.0001: odds ratio = 11.50; 95% CI = 5.99-22.7). Common clinical presentations among children with TB were bronchopneumonia (45/162), miliary TB (30/162) and tuberculous lymphadenopathy (21/33). There were no significant differences in clinical presentation of TB between the HIV-negative and HIV-positive groups. The follow-up of those patients with tuberculosis was poor, with only 65 patients (55%) returning to the clinic for scheduled appointments after discharge. All the 16 patients who died did so within 60 days of discharge from hospital; all of them were seropositive for HIV. There were no deaths among the HIV-negative group. Despite the exclusion of thioacetazone from the treatment regimen, cutaneous reactions occurring within 8 weeks of commencing treatment were observed in 7 of the 65 (11%) patients, 2 of whom developed fatal Stevens-Johnson syndrome. All 7 patients were seropositive for HIV-1.


CONCLUSIONS
The seroprevalence rate of HIV type-1 among children with tuberculosis in Lusaka continues to rise; careful monitoring of anti-TB therapy (even in regimens excluding thioacetazone) for potentially lethal side effects should be carried out.
Luo
C
C
Department of Paediatrics, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
Chintu
C
C
Bhat
G
G
Raviglione
M
M
Diwan
V
V
DuPont
H L
HL
Zumla
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence / Q000639:trends; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
D011718:Pyrazinamide; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin; D013307:Streptomycin