For certain subgroups within
people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [active tuberculosis
(TB), pregnant women, children <5 years old, and serodiscordant couples], the
World Health Organization recommends antiretroviral therapy (ART) irrespective
of CD4 count. Another subgroup which has received increased attention is
"HIV-infected presumptive TB patients without
TB".
In this study, we assess the proportion of HIV-infected presumptive
TB patients eligible
for ART in Karnataka State (population 60 million), India. This was a
cross-sectional analysis of data of HIV-infected presumptive TB patients diagnosed
in May 2015 abstracted from national TB and HIV program records.
Of 42,585
presumptive TB patients, 28,964 (68%) were tested for HIV and 2262 (8%) were HIV
positive. Of the latter, 377 (17%) had active TB. Of 1885 "presumptive TB patients without
active TB", 1100 (58%) were already receiving ART. Of the remaining 789
who were not receiving ART, 617 (79%) were assessed for ART eligibility and of
those, 548 (89%) were eligible for ART. About 90% of "HIV-infected
presumptive TB patients without
TB" were eligible for ART.
This evidence supports a public health approach
of starting all "HIV-infected presumptive TB patients without
TB" on ART irrespective of CD4 count in line with global thinking about
'test and treat'.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/TBg0pA
By:
- 1International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India. Electronic address: akumar@theunion.org.
- 2State TB Cell, Directorate of Health Services, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
- 3World Health Organization Country Office, New Delhi, India.
- 4Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society, Bangalore, Karnataka, India; National AIDS Control Organization, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, India.
- 5National AIDS Control Organization, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, India.
- 6International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
- J Epidemiol Glob Health. 2016 Jan 25. pii: S2210-6006(15)30080-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jegh.2015.12.002.
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