%0 Journal Article %T The Pattern of Presentation and Prevalence of Tuberculosis in HIV-Seropositive Patients Seen at Benin City, Nigeria %A Christopher C. Affusim %A Emeka Kesieme %A Vivien O. Abah %J ISRN Pulmonology %D 2012 %R 10.5402/2012/326572 %X Background. The emergence of Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), led to the rise in the incidence and prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. However, the trend is being reversed recently due to the widespread use of effective Anti-Retrovirals. Immunosuppression induced by HIV infection modified the clinical presentation of TB, resulting in atypical signs and symptoms, and a more frequent extrapulmonary presentation. This study was undertaken to determine the pattern of presentation and prevalence of TB in HIV seropositive patients seen in Benin City, Nigeria, from January to April, 2007. Method. The study was done using 330 HIV positive patients (123 males and 207 females). A designed questionnaire was used as a diagnostic instrument. Results. The prevalence of TB HIV was found to be 33.9%. It was found to be commoner in females, commonest in the age group 30¨C39 years. Pulmonary TB was the commonest type of TB found (78.6%). This was followed by TB adenitis (12.5%). The incidence of extrapulmonary TB was 21.4%. There was a high incidence of atypical chest X-ray features and high frequency of negative sputum smears. Conclusions. The overall prevalence rate of TB in HIV (33.9%), and the extrapulmonary presentation of TB are high. Some investigation results were found to be atypical in those with both infections. Physicians should be aware of this pattern of presentation and the atypical findings on investigation for early diagnosis and treatment. 1. Introduction The effect of HIV on the global TB pandemic is very significant. Before HIV infection was discovered, the prevalence of TB had witnessed a progressive decline, and the pattern of presentation was mostly pulmonary. The control measures against tuberculosis, BCG vaccination, anti-TB chemotherapy, and improvement in living conditions with less overcrowding and better nutrition, had succeeded in producing this decline. However, all these gains were reversed by HIV infection. An individual who is HIV-positive has 10 times increased risk of developing TB compared to an HIV-negative person [1]; the life time risk is 50% for an HIV-positive person and 5¨C10% for an HIV-negative person [2]. The presentation of TB in HIV-negative patients conforms with the known clinical features and investigation findings of TB infection. However, in patients who are HIV-positive with depressed immunity (low CD4 count), the pattern of presentation is a deviation from the normal, both in clinical features and investigation findings. Also here, there is a rise in the extrapulmonary presentation of TB. The presentation in %U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.pulmonology/2012/326572/