all Danish HIV-infected individuals (n 5 4871) and population controls (n 5 92 116) matched on age and sex were enrolled in a cohort and all cases of SAB were registered. IRs and risk factors were estimated using time-updated Poisson regression analysis.
ResultsWe identified 329 cases of SAB in 284 individuals, of whom 132 individuals were infected with HIV and 152 were not [crude IR ratio (IRR) 24.2; 95% confidence interval (CI) 19.5-30.0, for HIV-infected vs. non-HIV-infected individuals]. Over time, IR declined for HIV-infected individuals (IRR 0.40). Injecting drug users (IDUs) had the highest incidence and the smallest decline in IR, while men who have sex with men (MSM) had the largest decline over time. Among HIV-infected individuals, a latest CD4 count o100 cells/mL was the strongest independent predictor of SAB (IRR 10.2). Additionally, HIV transmission group was associated with risk of SAB. MSM were more likely to have hospital-acquired SAB, a low CD4 cell count and AIDS at the time of HIV acquisition compared with IDUs.
ConclusionsWe found that the incidence of SAB among HIV-infected individuals declined during the study period, but remained higher than that among HIV-uninfected individuals. There was an unevenly distributed burden of SAB among HIV transmission groups (IDU4MSM). Low CD4 cell count and IDU were strong predictors of SAB among HIV-infected individuals.
Treatment with tumour necrosis factor-a inhibitors increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB). Screening for latent TB infection (LTBI) and prophylactic treatment has become mandatory.A 79-yr-old female with a history of severe erosive sero-positive rheumatoid arthritis was screened for LTBI before initiation of treatment with infliximab. The tuberculin skin test (TST) was negative, chest radiography was normal and she had no known risk factors for TB. After 4 months of treatment with infliximab, the patient developed ascites caused by Mycobacterium bovis. The TST was repeatedly negative. QuantiFERON1-TB (QFT) testing performed during screening and immunosuppressive treatment was indeterminate, whereas the QFT test performed at the time of ascites puncture was positive.The patient history revealed previous work at a dairy, with probable exposure to unpasteurised milk from M. bovis-infected cattle.Re-activation of bovine tuberculosis is a risk in people with recent or previous exposure to unpasteurised dairy products. The QuantiFERON1-TB test has the potential to detect Mycobacterium bovis infection. Indeterminate test results reflect either anergy, due to poor immunity, or technical problems and should be cautiously interpreted and as a minimum be repeated. Studies are ongoing to determine the role of QuantiFERON1-TB testing in the screening for latent tuberculosis infection.
This method provides estimates for the proportion of treated patients in a cohort who harbour resistance on a given date, which are less likely to be affected by selection bias due to missing resistance data and will allow us to estimate prevalence of resistance to different drug classes at specific timepoints in HIV-infected populations on ART.
d4T use has declined sharply since 2006 to low levels in most regions; however, a low but persistent level of d4T use remains in Eastern Europe, where new d4T initiations post 2006 are also more common. The reasons for the regional differences may be multifactorial, but it is important to ensure that all clinicians treating HIV-positive patients are aware of the potential harmful effects associated with d4T.
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