Clinical and epidemiological features of AIDS/tuberculosis comorbidity.
Considering the relevance of AIDS/tuberculosis comorbidity worldwide, especially in Brazil, this study was developed to describe the clinical and epidemiological features of the comorbid cases identified from 1989 to 1997 by the epidemiology service of the Hospital das Clínicas of the Universidade de São Paulo.


METHODS
Databases containing information on all identified AIDS/tuberculosis cases cared for at the hospital were used to gather information on comorbid cases.


RESULTS
During the period, 559 patients were identified as presenting with AIDS/tuberculosis comorbidity. Risk behavior for AIDS was primarily heterosexual contact (38.9%), followed by intravenous drug use (29.3%) and homosexual/bisexual contact (23.2%). Regarding clinical features, there were higher rates of extrapulmonary tuberculosis when compared to tuberculosis without comorbidity. There was an increase in reporting of AIDS by ambulatory units during the period. Epidemiologically, there was a decrease in the male/female ratio, a predominance in the 20 to 39 year-old age group, and a majority of individuals who had less than 8 years of schooling and had low professional qualifications.


CONCLUSIONS
High rates of AIDS/tuberculosis cases at our hospital indicate the need for better attention towards early detection of tuberculosis, especially in its extrapulmonary form. Since the population that attends this hospital tends to be of a lower socioeconomic status, better management of AIDS and tuberculosis is required to increase the rates of treatment adherence and thus lower the social costs.
Song
Alice Tung Wan
AT
Department of Preventive Medicine, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo.
Schout
Denise
D
Novaes
Hillegonda Maria Dutilh
HM
Goldbaum
Moisés
M
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology*