The Occurrence of Tuberculosis Infection among Newly HIV Diagnosed Patient in Indonesia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a big threat to Indonesia and the rest of the world. People with HIV are more prone to opportunistic diseases like tuberculosis (TB) because HIV damages the immune system. AIM: This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors (age and gender) that contribute to pulmonary TB among HIV/AIDS patients admitted to Genteng Hospital Banyuwangi. METHODS: This research uses the Observational Analytical, Cross-Sectional method. We collected data from 372 new diagnosed HIV patients between 2019 and 2021. HIV diagnosis was obtained with a rapid test method. At the same time, a pulmonary TB diagnosis was obtained with Xpert MTB/RIF. RESULTS: We found that 372 individuals were HIV positive, and 63 patients among them were also positive for TB (16.93%). The majority of individuals were male (53.22%), in the age group of adults (26–45 years old) (62.1%). While HIV-TB patients were found among those in adult age group (16.13%), all patients positive with HIV-TB still susceptible to rifampicin treatment. The prevalence of TB among HIV patients did not differ significantly by gender or age. CONCLUSION: We found TB co-infection in newly diagnosed HIV patients. Individuals at risk of HIV infection should be screened early to minimize co-infection with other diseases that can aggravate their condition. As a result, the severity and death rate of HIV patients can be reduced in the long run.