Factors related to HIV/tuberculosis coinfection in a Brazilian reference hospital.
Infection with both Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis is currently the world's leading cause of death due to infectious agents. We evaluated factors related to the development of tuberculosis (TB) in HIV-infected patients who were being treated at an infectious diseases hospital in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. From January 2004 to December 2005, we made an epidemiological study through the analysis of the medical records of 171 patients, who were diagnosed as having both HIV and tuberculosis. Among these co-infected patients, most (81%, p=0.0006) were male. Co-infection was more frequent (87.8%) among patients over 40 years of age and those with lower educational levels (less than eight years of schooling). Forty-one percent of the patients in the study had not had a smear culture test for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). CD4 cell counts were lower than 200 cells/microL in 71.9% of the patients, the mean being 169 cells/microL. This type of data is important for establishing strategies to improve the control of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients.
Carvalho
Bráulio Matias de
BM
Laboratory of Research in Mycobacteria, Departament of Pathology and Legal Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Monteiro
André Jalles
AJ
Pires Neto
Roberto da Justa
Rda J
Grangeiro
Thalles Barbosa
TB
Frota
Cristiane Cunha
CC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult