Frequency of dual tuberculosis/human immunodeficiency virus infection in patients presenting at tertiary care centers at karachi.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of dual infection of Tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and document the sexual practices of infected patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
Medical Unit-IV of Civil Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, in collaboration with Sindh AIDS Control Program at Services Hospital, Karachi, from January 2003 to December 2004.


METHODS
Patients were recruited in the study at both centers and tested for both HIV and TB if any one disease was identified. Diagnosis of TB was based on positive sputum AFB smear / caseous granulomatous lesion on histopathology. Diagnosis of HIV was based on positive anti-HIV serology by LISA technique. A questionnaire was also administered to all the study participants regarding demographics, sexual practices, blood transfusion and intravenous drug abuse.


RESULTS
A total of 196 patients of HIV and TB were screened for the presence of dual infection (TB/HIV). Dual infection was present in 38 (19.39%) of patients. Out of 126 patients of HIV, evidence of TB was detected in 38 (30.16%). During the same duration, 70 patients of tuberculosis were screened for HIV and none was tested positive for HIV. History of illicit sexual relationship was found in 121 (96.03%) patients and 5 of these were homosexuals.


CONCLUSIONS
Dual infection was present in patients of HIV with TB but vice versa was not documented in this study.
Memon
Abdul Rauf
AR
Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi.
Memon
Muhammad Ashraf
MA
Altaf
Arshad
A
Shah
Sharaf Ali
SA
Zuberi
Bader Faiyaz
BF
Qadeer
Rashid
R
Afsar
Salahuddin
S