Seroprevalence of HIV in Newly Detected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Khuzestan, Iran: Should HIV Testing Be Included in National Tuberculosis Program in This Region?

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing strategy for tuberculosis (TB) patients in some high HIV incidence countries has been recommended based on interaction between HIV and TB. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of HIV infection among newly detected pulmonary TB patients. Patients and Methods: In a cross sectional study, 104 cases including 95 non injecting drug users (IDU) and nine IDU, from 2009 to 2011 in Ahvaz capital of Khuzestan province in the south west of Iran, underwent HIV testing as early as being diagnosed as pulmonary TB. Inclusion criteria for HIV positivity was two EIA-HIV positive tests and confirmatory western blots. SPSS-16 software was employed to analyze data, including demographical characteristics, epidemiological and laboratory findings. Results: Overall HIV prevalence among pulmonary TB patients was 7.6%. Comparing HIV prevalence between non IDU pulmonary TB and IDU pulmonary TB showed that IDU cases were significantly at the risk of HIV infection [2.1% vs. 66.6%,odds ratio (95%CI): 1.6,0.31-12.97, P < 0.0001]. Conclusions: In the region under study HIV prevalence in newly detected pulmonary TB patients (except in IDU patients) was low compared with HIV high prevalence region. Therefore, routine HIV testing may not be required.