Management of TB/HIV Co-Infection in the Context of the DOTS Treatment Programme - Issues and Challenges

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculi. Robert Koch in 1882 discovered the bacilli and 40 years later effective anti-mycobacteria agents were developed(1). In spite of this great milestone, TB is still a major public health problem all over the world. About 1.7 billion or one-third of the world's population is infected with TB. Annually 8 million cases of TB are reported with 2.9 million dying as a result of TB infection(2). In Nigeria about 200,000 of all types of TB cases and 100,000 of sputum smear positive cases occur annually(3). In several developed countries there have been a regular decline in TB notification until recently when the situation was reversed. The reason for this deterioration in both developed and developing countries are mainly due to improper diagnosis and treatment, poor drug compliance, increase travel and migration, multi-resistant TB, increase number of refugee from wars and famine and lately to the pandemic of HIV/AIDS(4).


Key Words: TB/HIV, co-infection; drug interaction


Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 45 No 6, 2004 (92-97)