[Radiographic and bacteriologic data on pulmonary tuberculosis in Bamako as a function of HIV status]

This prospective study included patients treated for tuberculosis between January 998 and April 1999 in the pneumology unit of the Point G Hospital in Bamako. The purpose was to analyze chest x-ray and bacteriological findings in HIV+ and HIV- patients. All patients had clinical and radiographic signs suggestive of tuberculosis with one or several sputum samples and HIV serology. Among the 127 patients, 36 were HIV positive (28.3%). There was no sex predominance in the HIV+ patients (p = 0.3). The most common radiographic aspect associated nodules and infiltration irrespective of the immune status (p = 0.014). Characteristic features of the chest x-rays in HIV-positive patients were: frequent military forms and rare cavernous forms (p = 0.007). Sputum tests were positive more often in HIV-negative than HIV-positive patients (p = 0.0003). The diagnosis of tuberculosis was retained in 11.7% of the patients with negative microbiology despite repeated samples. A normal chest x-ray was observed solely in one HIV-negative patient.