Background: HIV-TB co-infection has become a major public health problem worldwide. TB has become the major cause of death in HIV positive patients. Clinical course and pattern of opportunistic infections in HIV patients is changing world-wide.
Aims & Objective: To study prevalence of HIV-TB co-infection and socio-demographic & clinical profile of HIV-AIDS patients attending anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre in a rural area, Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2013 to April 2014 at an antiretroviral therapy centre of a rural tertiary care hospital, situated in Maharashtra state of India. Interview of 385 HIV positive individuals was taken by using pre-designed questionnaire which included socio-demographic and clinical profile, opportunistic infections and CD4 counts of the patients.
Results: More than two third (71.43%) of the study population were in sexually active age group i.e. 30-45 years. Females were 46.8% and males were 53.2%. Most of them were from upper lower socioeconomic (46.23%) and lower (secondary level) educational status. Fatigue, weight loss, fever, cough, diarrhoea were common clinical features. Most common opportunistic infection was herpes zoster (47.27%). Heterosexual route was main route of transmission. Most of the female respondents were widows (66.67%) and 48.29% were discordant couple. 46.75% patients were in the third stage of disease. Mean CD4 count at the start of treatment was 152.9 ± 92.45. Prevalence of HIV-TB co-infection was 21.56%.
Conclusion: Opportunistic infections were associated with CD4 count and CD4 count was associated with A.R.T. therapy. Primary as well as secondary preventive measures could be implemented effectively.
Key words: Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART); CD4 Cell; Co-infection; Education; Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV); Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); Tuberculosis (TB), Opportunistic Infection
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