Publication: Pulmonary Tuberculosis and its Associated Factors among HIV Positive Individuals attending Antiretroviral Therapy Clinic of Tertiary Care hospital in Ghorahi, Dang
Date
2025
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS)
Abstract
Abstract:
Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) weakens the immune system by targeting CD4 cells. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is a bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed tuberculosis infection of the lung parenchyma or tracheobronchial tree. Prevalence of PTB is significantly high among HIV positive individuals. This study assessed the Pulmonary Tuberculosis and its associated factors among HIV positive individuals.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at ART clinic of Rapti Academy of Health Sciences (RAHS). After obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee of RAHS, records of 299 HIV positive individuals attending the ART clinic from January to December 2024 were consecutively sampled and retrieved. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.
Results: Out of 299 HIV positive individuals, the majority (53.5%) were aged 40–59 years, with a median age of 41 years, and near-equal gender distribution. Most were Janajati (39.1%), married (69.6%), literate (73.6%), and unemployed (77.6%), with spouses of migrants (40.1%) and migrants (20.4%) being the key risk groups. Clinically, over half (51.2%) were in Stage I HIV, 94.3% had viral load testing, and 98.2% of those tested showed viral suppression. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) was prevalent in 7.4% of HIV positive individuals. Among 47 individuals with other associated diseases, infections (29.7%) were most common.
Conclusion: This study highlights the ongoing challenge of PTB associated with HIV infection in Nepal, necessitating targeted interventions and integrated services. Further multi-center research is recommended to explore socioeconomic and clinical determinants of PTB among HIV-positive individuals.
Description
Bikash Lamichhane
Office of the Vice-chancellor, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Ghorahi, Dang, Nepal
Radha Darlami
Department of Community Medicine, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Ghorahi, Dang
Stuti Bhattarai
Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Ghorahi, Dang
Keywords
ART, cross-sectional study, human immunodeficiency virus, Nepal, pulmonary tuberculosis, RAHS