Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection among tuberculosis suspect patients in Accra, Ghana.
BACKGROUND
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a major public health concern worldwide, particularly in Ghana, where recent reports indicate an increase of the disease. A close association between infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) is well known. A previous study showed a 16.8% seroprevalence of HIV in TB patients on admission at the chest clinic of the Korle-Bu teaching hospital. However this was in severely ill patients on admission and there was a likely selection bias. This study was therefore designed to determine the prevalence of HIV infection among patients suspected of TB attending the laboratory of the chest clinic of the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital, Accra, Ghana.


METHODS
Pulmonary TB was diagnosed using clinical, sputum smear microscopy and chest x-ray features. HIV was determined using particle agglutination test (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and synthetic peptide-based immunoassay (Peptilav I and II ELISA).


RESULTS
Of the 277 subjects examined, 108 (39%) were diagnosed as TB. The seroprevalence of HIV was 46.2% in all TB suspect patients. It was 47.2% and 45.6% in those with and without tuberculosis, respectively. in both groups, the peak age distribution of subjects positive for HIV antibodies was from 20 to 59 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show a great increase in HIV seroprevalence in TB patients in Korle-Bu. The high HIV seroprevalence suggests that subjects suspected of TB should be tested for HIV as well.
Adjei
A A
AA
Department of Pathology, University of Ghana Medical School, Korle-Bu, Ghana. mawhn@wwwplus.com
Adiku
T K
TK
Ayeh-Kumi
P F
PF
Hesse
I F A
IF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*