[HIV/TB co-infection in rural settings of Benin: case of the Djougou-Ouake-Copargo sanitary district (north-west Benin)].

Aims: we measured the burden of TB/HIV co-infection in a rural setting of Benin, and assessed the outcome of tuberculosis treatment at the end of the intensive phase of TB treatment.

Methods: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study, covering January 2006 to December 2011.

Results: A total of 256 patients were included, 67 (26.1%) were HIV +. A minority, 25% of co-infected HIV / PTB, had TB bacilli high density (+++) versus 45% of mono-infected (P = 0.005). The smear conversion was obtained in 96% of coinfected versus 93% in HIV- at the end of the intensive phase (P = 0.5). The cure rate was 86% and 93.1% respectively in co-infected and HIV-. A proportion of 13.5% of co-infected died versus 3% in HIV- (P = 0.005). 21% of co-infected with CD4 <200 died versus 3.6% of those with CD4> 200 (P = 0.041).

Conclusion: This work underlines the high prevalence of HIV / TB co-infection in this region. Co-infected patients respond well to treatment, but their mortality is high when they are very immunocompromised.