[Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. A prospective study of 215 patients]

We analyze the cases of 215 adult patients affected from tuberculosis (TB) and infection due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the study period from December 6th, 1986 to January 31st of 1992. Disease affected specially the group of drug addict patients (DAP) with a 74.88%, followed by paid plasma donors (PPD) from our city with a 12.09%. Sexual transmission was the route of contamination with the HIV in 16 cases. In five cases atypical mycobacteria were detected. First-line anti-tuberculostatics drugs activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis was excellent. A total of 17 cases with toxicity to any of these drugs were described. TB was located in the lung in 108 cases (50.23%), in 74 cases out of the lung (34.41%) and in 33 cases there was intrapulmonary as well as extrapulmonary affectation (15.34%). TB was diagnosed at the same time that a disease which met AIDS criteria in 13.49% of cases, TB was diagnosed first in 32.55% of cases, and AIDS was diagnosed before TB in only 7.91% of cases. Fever was the predominant symptom (88.84%), together with toxic status at admittance (80.47%) and deteriorated immune situation with lymphocytes count decrease (mean 1240/mm) and CD4 (mean value 134.5/mm) together with a mean raised IgA (492.85 mg/dl). Thorax radiography was normal in 34.88%. In 33 of these patients TB was localized in the lung, in 27.91% primary radiologic types were observed while in 31.16% reactivation types. In 51 cases (23.72%) tuberculosis was detected in patients (DAP) who were forwarded from the penitentiary system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)