TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV CO-INFECTION IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA
Authors:
ELIKWU Charles
Publication Type: Journal article
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Abstract
Tuberculosis remains a huge public health challenge particularly in developing nations which typically have weak health systems in place. There is a tendency for HIV and Tuberculosis to co-infect the same patient. The demographic characteristics of patients with tuberculosis and rates of HIV co-infection were determined in this study.
A total of 100 patient records were retrospectively analysed over a 3 month period. Patient response to therapy was determined using sputum smears by the Ziehl Neelsen method.
The rates of HIV co-infection in persons with suspected Tuberculosis was 20.2% (n = 20). It was seen that 23% (n = 23) had sputum smear results definitively showing Acid fast bacilli.
Tuberculosis still remains a huge public health threat in Nigeria with attendant challenges in diagnosis and treatment. It is essential that improved systems for the accurate diagnosis of Tuberculosis be employed and that treatment strategies be improved upon and intensified.
