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Is cough alone adequate to screen HIV-positive persons for tuberculosis preventive therapy in developing countries?
Summary
Isoniazid prevents tuberculosis in HIV patients. However, using cough alone to screen for preventive therapy in resource-poor settings may be inadequate, suggesting chest radiographs are necessary.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- HIV/AIDS Research
Background:
- Isoniazid is effective for tuberculosis prevention in HIV-infected individuals with positive tuberculin skin tests.
- Feasibility of tuberculosis preventive therapy screening in resource-limited settings remains a concern.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the adequacy of cough as a sole screening tool for tuberculosis preventive therapy in HIV-infected individuals.
- To determine the necessity of chest radiographs in screening for tuberculosis preventive therapy in resource-poor settings.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of screening data from an isoniazid efficacy study.
- Assessment of cough as a primary screening method versus chest radiography.
Main Results:
- Data suggests that cough alone is insufficient for screening patients for tuberculosis preventive therapy.
- Chest radiography may be a necessary component of screening protocols.
Conclusions:
- Current screening methods relying solely on cough may be inadequate for identifying individuals needing tuberculosis preventive therapy.
- Further feasibility studies are required to optimize screening strategies in resource-limited settings.