The Prevalence of Tuberculosis among HIV/AIDS Patients Attending the Art Clinic at Gondar Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: TB and HIV are the leading causes of death frominfectiousdisease among adults worldwide, and the number of tuberculosis cases has risen significantly since the start of the HIV epidemics, particularly in Sub-saharan Africa, where HIV is a pandemic. In Ethiopia, TB and HIV/AIDS have become diseases of major public health importance. However, the magnitude of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) among ART attendants is not well known at Gondar health center.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of smear PTB among HIV/AIDS patients attending the ARTClinic at Gondar health center, northwest Ethiopia.

Methods: An institution-based retrospective cross-sectional study employing quantitative methods was conducted at the clinic from September 1, 2012 to August15, 2016.Data were collected from the ART register, using a structured data extraction format. All of the780 HIV/AIDS consecutive patients who were enrolled as pre-ART and ART were included in the study. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS version 20.

Results: Out of a total 780 HIV/AIDS patients who were attending the clinic,418 (53.6%) and 362 (46.4%) were females and males, respectively. The overall prevalence of tuberculosis among ART enrolled patients was 51.15% (399/780).Of these,216(54.14%) were PTB, whereas 183(45.86%)extra pulmonary tuberculosis cases (EPTB). Females (211/399 (52.88%)) were co-infected more than males (188 (47.12%)).

Conclusion and recommendations: High prevalence (53.6%)of TB/HIV co-infection was reported; pulmonary tuberculosis co-infection was more common than Extra pulmonary Tuberculosis. Early case detection, adequate provision of isoniazid preventive therapy as a prophylaxis should be provided to ART enrolled patients to prevent TB infection.