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A health institution based cross-sectional study
was carried out in Shashemene town, Southern Ethiopia
between September, 1993, and January, 1994, to determine
the sero-prevalence and the clinical impact of HIV among
newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients.
The HIV-antibody was determined using the two ELISA
procedures (Wellcozyme, Wellcome Diagnostics, Dartford
Kent England, and Du-pont assay, Singapore).
A total of 450 tuberculosis patients aged 15 years
and above were enrolled in the study. The overall HIVseroprevalence
rate was 44.4%. The highest rate was
observed in the age group 20-39 years.
A slightly higher HIV-infection rate was found in
males (46%) than in females (41%). Those divorced and
widowed patients had higher proportion of HIV seropositivity.
The HIV positivity rate was higher for
extra-pulmonary than pulmonary form of tuberculosis (OR
= 3.80; 95% CI: 1.49, 9.7 ). Higher proportion of sputum
positive patients were HIV-positive compared to the
sputum negative pulmonary tuberculosis patients (OR=l. 09;
95% CI: 0.64,1.85) though they manifested typical
radiographic features (OR = 7.87; 95% CI: 4. 39, 14.21) .
vi
Significant differences were noted among HIV
positives than HIV negatives in manifesting herpes
zoster, lymphadenopathy, oral candidiasis, peripheral
paraesthesia and chronic diarrhoea .
An alternat i ve diagnostic approach is required to
avoid missing HIV-related tuberculosis which is
communicable to the general population. Other findings
are discussed and recommendations made. |
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