Tuberculosis Infection in HIV-Positive Children Attending TB/HIV Clinic at Central Hospital Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria

Abstract

Tuberculosis infection in children has been a major setback to achieving the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing child mortality rate by two-thirds by the year 2015. Children are the hope and future of any nation. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted between January and April 2014 to survey tuberculosis infection in HIV positive children below five years of age attending TB/HIV Clinic at Central Hospital Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. A total of eight three (83) children reregistered at TB/HIV clinic of the Hospital were randomly selected and screened for tuberculosis disease using structure and validated questionnaire containing both socio-demographic profile and disease symptoms. Information on sputum smear, chest X-ray and routine CD4 counts results were obtained from their case files. Of the eighty-three (83) children investigated, forty-five (45) had TB; a prevalence rate of 54.2 %. The analysis also revealed that majority of the children with TB/HIV infection were children whose mothers were HIV positive. Majority of the care-givers were mothers; (75.9 %) who were classified into class VI of the social economic class. Majority of the HIV positive children had CD4 count of 200-499 cells/μl. About 77.1% children were immunized with BCG vaccine and 15.9 % of the children had vaccine induced TB because their immune system was compromised. Only four (4) HIV infected children had extra pulmonary TB and the commonest symptoms presented by TB infected children were cough and weight loss. This study further confirmed the high prevalence rate of tuberculosis infection among HIV infected children. There is, therefore, the need to intensify awareness on prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS infection (PMTCT) and to implement an early and active case finding for tuberculosis infection especially in children who are exposed.