Seroprevalence Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Among Tuberculosis Patients In The Nylon District Hospital Tuberculosis Treatment Centre

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) incidence in Cameroon is high with 32% of adult
TB patients, all forms, co-infected with HIV. The Nylon District Hospital in Douala
runs a centre for the diagnosis and treatment of TB since 2001 and a pioneer Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
management programme at district level since 2000.
Objective: To determine the prevalence of HIV infection in TB patients from 2003 to
2006 and to analyse the pattern of TB/HIV co-infection rate over time.
Design: A retrospective study.
Setting: Nylon District Hospital, Douala, Cameroon.
Results: The prevalence of HIV infection in TB patients was 51.6%. This was greater for
patients living out of the Nylon Health District (P= 0.001). Smear positive pulmonary
tuberculosis (SPPT) was the most frequent (65%) form of TB diagnosed but extrapulmonary
tuberculosis (EPT) and smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPT)
were more frequently associated with HIV co-infection (80% and 68.6% respectively).
While men and women presented equally with TB, women (61.4%) were significantly
(P< 0.0001) more TB/HIV co-infected than men (42%). The co-infection rate was highest
among individuals aged 25-44 years (61.4%) and least among the 0-24 years age group
(22.5%). The increase in TB/HIV co-infection rate is monotonic over time with a stronger
trend among females aged 25-44 years (P= 0.037) and above 45 years (P= 0.001).
Conclusion: The NDH selectively attracted HIV positive patients to adhere to their
HIV programme. The creation of HIV / AIDS treatment units in institutions providing
TB diagnosis and treatment services will reduce the movement of TB/HIV co-infected
patients across provinces and health districts as well as enhancing TB/HIV co-infection
diagnosis and notification.

East African Medical Journal Vol. 85 (11) 2008: pp. 529-536