Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection in patients attending Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centers in Anambra State, Nigeria: A retrospective study

Monique Okeke; Peter M Eze; Adaeze E Chukwudebelu; Chidiebere J Nwankwo; Nchekwube K Eze; Uchenna U Okafor; Isaiah C Abonyi; Eric E Okereke; Kalu O Obasi; Okorie A Ede; Chika P Ejikeugwu; Cajetan I Ilo; Jerome O Okafor

doi:10.1002/hsr2.2201

Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection in patients attending Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centers in Anambra State, Nigeria: A retrospective study

Health Sci Rep. 2024 Jun 17;7(6):e2201. doi: 10.1002/hsr2.2201. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Health Science Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra Nigeria.
² School of Biological Science Queen's University Belfast Belfast UK.
³ Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra Nigeria.
⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology Enugu State University of Science and Technology Awka Anambra Nigeria.
⁵ Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) Leipzig Germany.
⁶ Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education Ebonyi State University Abakaliki Ebonyi Nigeria.
⁷ Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Anambra Nigeria.

Abstract

Background and aims: This study retrospectively assessed the prevalence of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS coinfection among patients that attended the Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centers in Anambra State, Southeast, Nigeria, between 2013 and 2017.

Methods: The study adopted a descriptive and retrospective epidemiological survey design. A total of 1443 case files of patients aged 15-60 who were treated in DOTS centers selected from Anambra State's 21 Local Government Areas between 2013 and 2017 were investigated. The uniform data form, a standardized instrument used in Anambra State's health facilities for data collection, was used to collect data from case files of all those identified as coinfected with TB and HIV/AIDS.

Results: The mean prevalence rate of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection in the state during the 5-year period (2013-2017) was 20.00%. The highest annual prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection was recorded in 2014 (23.84%). The state's prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection increased dramatically from 13.17% in 2013 to 23.84% in 2014, followed by a slight downward trend to 22.80% in 2015, 20.17% in 2016, and 20.03% in 2017. In terms of gender, age, marital status, and occupation, females (59.5%), those aged 15 to 25 years (30.7%), married people (43.90%), and traders/business owners (50.7%), respectively, had the highest rates of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection during the study period.

Conclusion: The findings of this study show that young people, females, married people, and traders/business owners appear to be the most vulnerable groups affected by TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection, accounting for the majority of the disease burden in the state. To address the high prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection in the Anambra State, novel intervention and control programs should be developed and implemented, and existing intervention frameworks should be strengthened.

Keywords: AIDS; Anambra; HIV; Nigeria; TB; co‐infection; prevalence; tuberculosis.