TB and HIV Infection
Why is TB and HIV infection
dangerous?
 HIV is a virus that weakens the cells in
the immune system required to fight TB infection. A
person who has TB and HIV infection is at a very
high risk of TB
infection progressing to TB disease.
Adults with TB infection have about a 10 % chance
of developing TB disease in their lifetime. Adults
with TB and HIV infection have a 10 % risk of
developing TB disease every year. TB
infection also makes HIV infection progress to
AIDS faster.
Because their immune system is weak, people with TB
and HIV infection may not respond to TB skin tests and their
chest x-ray may look normal even if they have
TB disease.
A person with HIV infection is more likely to develop
TB outside the
lungs. TB disease may spread from the lungs
to the lymph nodes or even to the brain. The symptoms
may not be typical, delaying the diagnosis of
TB disease
and the treatment of TB
disease.
Is there hope?
People with TB and HIV infection need to know about
both diseases as soon as possible. They also need to
be seen by an doctor who is an expert in this area to
find out if they have TB disease. Treatment of TB
infection and treatment of TB
disease by an expert could save their life!
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