To routinely offer testing for HIV infection in all cases of tuberculosis: a rational clinical approach?
The strong interaction between the HIV and tuberculosis epidemics has been well described. Australian national surveillance data suggest that HIV status is ascertained by clinicians in less than 50% of people with tuberculosis. Clinicians are not able to reliably predict which people have HIV infection - risk factor assessment alone is insufficient. Because tuberculosis is an AIDS-defining condition and highly effective therapy for HIV infection is available, all patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection should be offered HIV testing.
Post
Jeffrey J
JJ
Department of Infectious Diseases, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia. jeffrey.post@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au
Emerson
Carol R
CR
D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D015995:Prevalence; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology*