title: Using tuberculosis suspects to identify patients eligible for antiretroviral treatment.
abstract: METHODS
  A district in rural sub-Saharan Africa with a recently introduced antiretroviral (ARV) programme. The population has high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence and high tuberculosis (TB) incidence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of HIV and acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) related symptoms in people presenting with chronic cough who are not diagnosed with TB.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of TB suspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with chronic cough were recruited from out-patient facilities. After standard diagnostic procedures and providing informed consent, they received counselling and testing for HIV, and were interviewed and examined with respect to staging criteria for HIV/AIDS. Suspects were followed up for 3 months after the end of the recruitment period to allow for delayed diagnosis of TB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 145 suspects, 79% had not been diagnosed with TB by the end of the follow-up period. Of these, 108 (95%) agreed to HIV testing and 61 (56%) were HIV-positive. More than half of these were eligible for ARV treatment (Stage III or IV disease) under national programme criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Established chronic cough clinics are a useful setting for recruitment of patients to ARV clinics. Attendees should be offered HIV testing and simple clinical screening to identify those who should be referred for ARV treatment.
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, Blantyre, Malawi.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Munthali
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Mwaungulu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Munthali
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bowie
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Crampin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000352:Africa, Northern / Q000453:epidemiology; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents