Abstract

Background: HIV-AIDS is associated with many opportunistic infections during the course of disease. One of the most important of them in India is tuberculosis (TB). Also tuberculosis is the one of the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients living with HIV-AIDS.

Aims & Objectives: This study was carried out to know the epidemiology and clinical presentation of tuberculosis as an opportunistic infection in patients of HIV-AIDS.

Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in GMERS medical college, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India, which is attached with the district government hospital. 834 HIV-infected patients, who were visited ART center, general medicine OPD and Pulmonary medicine OPD between November 2012 and December 2013, were recruited in the study. All the patients were screened for presence of tuberculosis and structured performa was used to note down all the details of the patients.

Results: Tuberculosis was most common opportunistic infection recorded and the prevalence rate was 22.19%. Tuberculosis involving the lymph nodes was the most common presentation of TB in patients of HIV-AIDS.

Conclusion: Tuberculosis in HIV-AIDS patients is still an important and fairly common opportunistic infection. All HIV-AIDS patients needs to be screened for evidence of TB and all the patients with TB needs to be screened for HIV co-infection.

Key words: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV); Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS); Tuberculosis