Characterization of pulmonary tuberculosis and assessment of the risk factors among HIV/AIDS seropositive patients at Federal Medical Centre Azare, Bauchi State Nigeria.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major cause of illness and death globally, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, and is a significant concern for TB care and prevention. It is a common and severe opportunistic illness for HIV-positive individuals and a leading cause of death in developing countries, including Nigeria. The goal of the current study was to determine the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) among patients with HIV who visit the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Azare. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at FMC Azare from June 2023 to February 2024. A spot sputum sample and the CBNAAT (Gene Xpert) assay were used to conduct a bacteriological confirmation test for tuberculosis using the Hot Ziehl Neelson differential staining technique. A systematic probability sampling technique was used to include 297 HIV-positive TB patients in total. Semi-structured questionnaires were employed to collect socio-demographic and clinical data. SPSS version 24 was utilized to analyze the data. Results: Pulmonary tuberculosis affected 297 study participants, or 25.9.6% of them. The age range of 65 years and above AOR (95% CI): 29.58 (1.92-455.37), isoniazid preventative therapy (IPT) AOR (95% CI): 32.60 (1.92-455.37), and TB immunization status AOR (95% CI): 59.04 (18.08-192.75) were found to be significantly associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. Among HIV patients, pulmonary tuberculosis was highly prevalent. Conclusion: The study suggests that IPT in combination with BCG vaccination may reduce the risk of tuberculosis in HIV patients in high-TB and resource-limited countries. Additionally, nationwide research on TB/HIV coinfection patterns and related variables is needed.