RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: HIV testing among TB patients is still low in DRC This study aimed to determine HIV infection prevalence among TB patients with positive microscopy (TPM+) in Kisangani city. METHODS: In the period of 15 h August to 31th December 2010, a cross-sectional study was conducted including pulmonary tuberculosis patients with positive microscopy (TPM+) from 15 to 49-years-old received in seven tuberculosis screening and treatment centers (STC). The Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used to compare proportions and the Wilcoxon test to examine the relationships between quantitative variables with skewed distributions. RESULTS: HIV test has been proposed to 136 TPM+ patients. Among them, 118 (86.76%) agreed to be tested. 24 (20.3%) of them were HIV positive. HIV-positive patients were significantly older (P = 0.02), predominantly female (P < 0.001) unemployed (p = 0.01). There were more cases of TB treatment relapse (p < 0.01) and less knowledge of TB signs (p = 0.01) among HIV-positive patients. DISCUSSION: The Ministry of Health and its partners should extend to all STC provider-initiated HIV counceling and testing, ensure access to antiretroviral treatment for all HIV-positive TB patients and intensify TB screening in all patients living with HIV