Seasonal variations in tuberculosis diagnosis among HIV-positive individuals in Southern Africa: analysis of cohort studies at antiretroviral treatment programmes.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Seasonal variations in tuberculosis diagnoses have been attributed to seasonal climatic changes and indoor crowding during colder winter months. We investigated trends in pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) diagnosis at antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in Southern Africa.

Setting

Five ART programmes participating in the International Epidemiology Database to Evaluate AIDS in South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Participants

We analysed data of 331 634 HIV-positive adults (>15 years), who initiated ART between January 2004 and December 2014.

Primary outcome measure

We calculated aggregated averages in monthly counts of PTB diagnoses and ART initiations. To account for time trends, we compared deviations of monthly event counts to yearly averages, and ca

SUBMITTER: Ballif M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5780693 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature