Tuberculosis after HAART initiation in HIV-positive patients from five countries with a high tuberculosis burden.

Background: HAART reduces tuberculosis (TB) incidence in people living with HIV/AIDS but those starting HAART may develop active TB or subclinical TB may become apparent in the immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome.

Objective: To measure the incidence rate of notified TB in people receiving HAART in five HIV programmes occurring in low-resource countries with a high TB/HIV burden.

Methods: A retrospective review in five Médecins Sans Frontières programmes (Cambodia, Thailand, Kenya, Malawi and Cameroon) allowed incidence rates of notified TB to be calculated based on follow-up time after HAART initiation.