Factors Associated with HIV/Tuberculosis Coinfection among People Living with HIV after Initiation of Antiretroviral Treatment in Lingwala Health Zone from 2021 to 2023

Abstract

Context and objective: Around 8% of incident cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported among people living with HIV worldwide in 2022. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV. Africa accounts for the majority of co-infection episodes, with over 50% of cases in some parts of southern Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), around 9% of persons living with HIV (PLHIV) develop TB and 11% of TB patients are infected with HIV. The DRC is one of the 30 countries in the world bearing the brunt of co-infection. Despite the efforts made by countries to improve access to antiretroviral traitement (ART), TB remains a major problem among people living with HIV. The Lingwala Health Zone in the provincial city of Kinshasa recorded a large number of cases of HIV/TB co-infection during the study period. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with HIV/TB co-infection among PLHIV on ART in the Lingwala health zone (HZ) in Kinshasa. Methods: This was a case-control study conducted in the state-run HIV care facilities in the Lingwala health district among PLHIV who had visited the health facilities during the period 2021-2023. Cases were coinfected patients and controls were PLHIV who had not developed tuberculosis during the study period. Results: A total of 281 PLHIV were enrolled in the study, with 70 cases and 211 controls. Factors associated with HIV/TB co-infection after multivariate analysis were viral load (OR = 5.34; 95% CI; 1.8-15.8, p = 0.005). History of tuberculosis (OR = 20.84; 95% CI; 8.6-50.3, p -85.0, p = 0.005) and BMI 2 (OR = 5.34; 95% CI; 1.8-15.82, p = 0.005). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the detection of these enumerated factors should prompt providers to actively search for tuberculosis with a view to organising early management.