Prevalence of Clinical Tuberculosis in HIV Infected Patients from Kermanshah Province, IRAN

Authors

1 Department of Infectious Diseases, NRITLD, Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services,

2 Kermanshah Health Province Center, IRAN

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis is a common infection among HIV positive patients. It causes a lot of obstacles in diagnosis,
and it can significantly affect the course of HIV infection.
Materials and Methods: Between March 1997 and April 2001, we evaluated the rate of clinical tuberculosis among 638
HIV positive patients in Kermanshah province in IRAN. The study population was consisted of HIV infected patients who
had been received anti tuberculosis drug regimen. Medical records of the patients were reviewed for age, gender, marital
status, clinical presentation, infection source, and treatment outcome.
Results: Clinical tuberculosis was observed in 73 (11.4%) HIV- infected patients, 80.9% of whom were smear-positive,
10.9% were smear-negative, and the remaining 8.2% revealing to have extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. The patients were
adapted to anti tuberculosis treatment with a cure rate of about 80%.
Conclusion: The prevalence rate of clinical tuberculosis is high but underestimated, and it seems to be due to
vulnerability of our patients to tuberculosis in the setting of intravenous drug usage as a major underlying factor for HIV
among infected individuals and also residence in prisons due to illegal drug consumption. (Tanaffos 2002; 1(2): 27-33)

Keywords