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HIV-testing study of immigrants with pulmonary tuberculosis
A Bonington1, S Harden, S Anderson
1Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Imperial College School of Medicine, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 1, 1997
Summary
This study found no cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection among immigrants with tuberculosis (TB) arriving in the UK. The findings suggest dual HIV and TB infection is uncommon in this population group.
Area of Science:
- Medical Microbiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Rising global prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), especially in Africa and Asia.
- Need to assess the risk of HIV infection in immigrants presenting with pulmonary TB upon arrival in the UK.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of HIV infection in immigrants with pulmonary tuberculosis at the time of their arrival in the UK.
Main Methods:
- Anonymous HIV testing (HIV-1 and HIV-2) was performed on stored sera from immigrants with culture-positive pulmonary TB.
- 39 out of 65 referred immigrants had sera available for testing.
- Patient characteristics were analyzed and compared between tested and non-tested groups.
Main Results:
- None of the 39 tested immigrants were positive for HIV-1 or HIV-2.
- The 26 patients without available serum had similar characteristics to the tested group, suggesting comparable risk profiles.
Conclusions:
- While co-infection must be considered in TB patients from HIV-endemic areas, this study indicates that recently arrived immigrants in the UK are not a high-risk group for dual HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
- The data do not support the notion that dual HIV and TB infection is common in this specific demographic arriving in the UK.