The Chest Radiographic Findings and the Viral Load in Adult Patients with HIV/PTB Co-Infection

Introduction: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection continues to modify the radiographic pattern of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). There is an increase in the prevalence and transmission of multidrug-resistant and drug-resistant MTB strains worldwide.

Aim: To determine the relationship between the chest radiographic findings of patients with HIV/PTB co-infection and the viral load.

Methods: This is a prospective study of 112 HIV/PTB co-infected subjects using chest radiographs at full inspiration and the viral load.

Results: There were 112 Nigerian subjects with HIV/PTB co-infection, of which 79 (70.5%) had viral load > 10,000 copies/ml, 41(36.6%) were females, and 38(33.9%) were males. Plasma viral load of 20-10,000 copies/ml showed 28(25%) male subjects and 14 (12.5%) female subjects. While viral load of < 20copies/ml showed females 4(3.5%) and males 1(0.9%). For normal radiographs, 13(11%) subjects with viral load > 10,000 copies/ml were seen while none were seen in subjects with < 20 copies/ml with a p-value = 0.459. Opacities were seen in 60 (53.6%) of subjects with viral load > 10,000 copies/ml and 4 (3.6%) of subjects with viral load < 20 copies/ml with a p-value= 0.670. There was no significant relationship between the zonal distribution of opacities and the chest radiographic findings with the subjects’ viral load categories.

Conclusion: The chest radiographic findings did not show any significant differences in appearance in the different viral load categories of the subjects.