[The incidence and clinical presentation of tuberculosis in HIV-positive patients]

To evaluate the features of tuberculous infection in HIV+ patients from our area we reviewed the 50 cases of seropositive patients admitted to a provincial hospital from 1985 to June 1989. TB was diagnosed in 18 of the 50 patients; mean patient age was 27 years, with a male predominance. PDA was the major risk practice. The most common localization were lymph nodes; 95% had fever and weight loss and 39% had nightly perspiration and cough; cervical lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly were found in more than 50%. Tuberculin skin test was negative in 75% of cases. The diagnosis of TB represented the diagnosis of AIDS for 66% of patients. 25 of the 50 seropositive patients met the criteria for AIDS, and 68% of these had TB. TB is a common infection in HIV+ patients from our area, and it is the first cause of the diagnosis of AIDS. The index of suspicion of TB in these patients should be high, as clinical features are often nonspecific. However, it is preventable and curable superinfection.