Undiagnosed tuberculosis among HIV clinic attendees: Association with antiretroviral therapy and implications for intensified case finding, isoniazid preventive therapy, and infection control

Objectives: Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the 3I's are strategies to prevent HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB). We describe factors associated with undiagnosed TB among HIV-infected patients attending an HIV clinic in South Africa and discuss implications for the 3 Is. Design: Convenience sample of HIV clinic attendees. Methods: HIV-infected participants were assessed for TB using a symptom screen, sputum-smear microscopy, sputum and blood mycobacterial culture, fine needle aspiration of enlarged lymph nodes, and chest radiography. Results: Four hundred twenty-two participants were enrolled. The median age and CD4+ T-cell count were 37 years [interquartile range (IQR): 31-44 years] and 215 cells per microliter (IQR: 107-347cells/μL). Forty-seven percent had been on ART for a median duration of 8 months (IQR: 3.3-22.8 months). Three hundred sixty-one participants (85.6%) reported TB symptoms. Twenty-seven participants (6.4%) met criteria for bacteriologically confirmed TB and 50 (11.6%) for any form of TB. Bacteriologically confirmed TB was associated with CD4+ T-cell counts ≤100 cells per microliter (odds ratio: 5.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.69 to 15.12) when compared with CD4+ T-cell counts >200 cells per microliter and hemoglobin {hemoglobin ,<10 g/dL [odds ratio 3.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.26 to 7.72)]}. Conclusions: Undiagnosed TB among HIV-infected ambulatory patients was associated with low CD4+ T-cell counts regardless of ART status. TB screening algorithms which include CD4+ T-cell count and hemoglobin testing may be an effective way to identify HIV-infected clinic attendees at highest risk of undiagnosed TB. Isoniazid preventive therapy and TB infection control are essential for reducing occurrence of HIV-associated TB even after ART initiation.