Enhanced TB Screening to Determine the Prevalence and Incidence of TB in Patients With HIV

This study will examine an enhanced protocol to systematically screen a cohort of 400 new HIV clinic enrollees for prevalence and 1-year incidence of tuberculosis (TB).

Zambia is a high burden country for both HIV and TB infection and HIV clinic enrollees are a high-risk group for active TB. Current Zambian Ministry of Health screening protocols are symptom-based even though active case-finding studies in HIV-infected populations have shown that symptoms are not always predictive of active TB. As a result, there may be a significant amount of un-diagnosed TB among HIV-infected Zambians even in the context of accessing HIV care. This study will examine an enhanced protocol to systematically screen a cohort of 400 new HIV clinic enrollees for prevalence and 1-year incidence of TB using symptoms, light and fluorescence microscopy, chest radiography and TB culture of sputum and extra-pulmonary fluids (when indicated). In addition, the sensitivity, specificity and cost-effectiveness of each diagnostic tool will be evaluated.