Tuberculosis and HIV infection association in a rural district of northern Uganda: epidemiological and clinical considerations.

59 (18.3%) of 323 patients with tuberculosis (TB) tested for HIV-1 antibody by ELISA technique (Wellcozyme) were seropositive. In the control group selected among the health personnel working in the Arua Hospital, 7.7% were found positive for HIV-1 antibody, thus showing a significantly lower prevalence compared with the TB patients (P < 0.005). The prevalence of HIV infection was 50% in the urban TB patients, 7% in TB patients living in rural areas surrounding Arua town and 1.6% in the peripheral rural setting. Of 27 TB patients with clinical AIDS, 18 died during the course of the study. The AIDS patients' survival rate was 46.4% 6 months after diagnosis, and 21.4% after 16 months, the median period of survival being 5.0 months. Risk factors, sputum conversion rate, clinical and radiological findings were analysed. No significant difference was found between seropositive and seronegative TB patients for clinical drug-related toxicity (P > 0.05).