JOHANNESBURG, March 24, (Xinhua/GNA) – A study carried out by the South African scientists has revealed that adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV (APHIV) had a fourfold increased risk of tuberculosis (TB) disease despite access to antiretroviral therapy (ART).
The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) unit at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital carried out the study between July 2013 and October 2018.
Youth between nine and 14 years on antiretroviral therapy (ART) for more than six months in public sector care, and age-matched HIV-negative adolescents, were enrolled between July 2013 through March 2015 and followed. Data were censored on October 31, 2018.
“These findings also highlight that tuberculosis is common and remains an important cause of morbidity among APHIV. The incidence of TB in APHIV in our study was very high, at 2.2/100PY compared to HIV negative adolescents which were 0.3/100PY,” said Lisa Frigati, Lead Author of the study.
Heather Zar, Head of the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and Director of the School of Child and Adolescent Health at the University of Cape Town, welcomed the study.
She said it showed that adolescents living with HIV need to be comprehensively evaluated for TB, including with rapid molecular diagnostics and culture.
“In addition, strategies to prevent TB such as TB preventive therapy as well as strategies to enhance treatment adherence should be strengthened.
These findings also emphasise the need to integrate HIV and TB adolescent programmes,” said Zar.
GNA