Tuberculosis and survival of HIV-infected individuals by time since seroconversion.

Authors: Glynn JR, Murray J, Shearer S, Sonnenberg P

Source: AIDS, 2010. 24:000-000. Available Online: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e328337b100

Summary:

This research letter addresses the issue of mortality from tuberculosis in HIV-infected individuals. We explored the relationship between tuberculosis and survival among HIV-infected gold miners. In a cohort of 1950 such miners, 111 of the 399 who contracted tuberculosis died (almost 30%). This was in the period before the mining company initiated an antiretroviral treatment programme.

Overall mortality was similar to that in developed countries where rates of tuberculosis are much lower, and these findings suggest that tuberculosis is more a marker of HIV progression than a cause of it.