Tuberculosis incidence among people living with HIV/AIDS with virological failure of antiretroviral therapy in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

• Published in: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases 2017-09, Vol.21 (5), p.562-566
• Main Authors: Rebouças, Monaliza Cardozo, Silva, Márcio Oliveira da, Haguihara, Tatiana, Brites, Carlos, Netto, Eduardo Martins
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections - mortality; Analysis; Anti-HIV Agents - adverse effects; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Brazil - epidemiology; Brief Communication; Cohort Studies; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Female; Health aspects; HIV infection; HIV infections; HIV patients; Humans; Incidence; INFECTIOUS DISEASES; Male; Middle Aged; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Retrospective Studies; Risk factors; Treatment Failure; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis - mortality; Virological failure; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1413-8670; 1678-4391; 1678-4391
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2017.05.005

Antiretroviral therapy for HIV has led to increased survival of HIV-infected patients. However, tuberculosis remains the leading opportunistic infection and cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS. Tuberculosis has been shown to be a good predictor of virological failure in this group. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of tuberculosis and its consequences among individuals diagnosed with virological failure of HIV. This was a retrospective cohort study involving people living with HIV/AIDS being followed-up in an AIDS reference center in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Individuals older than 18 years with HIV infection on antiretroviral therapy for at least six months, diagnosed with virological failure (HIV-RNA greater than or equal to 1000copies/mL), from January to December 2013 were included. Tuberculosis was diagnosed according to the criteria of the Brazilian Society of Pneumology. Fourteen out of 165 (8.5%) patients developed tuberculosis within two years of follow-up (incidence density=4.1 patient-years). Death was directly related to tuberculosis in 6/14 (42.9%). A high incidence and tuberculosis-related mortality was observed among patients with virological failure. Diagnosis of and prophylaxis for tuberculosis in high-incidence countries such as Brazil is critical to decrease morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV/AIDS.