Practice guideline prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in patients with an HIV infection

• Published in: Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde Vol. 153; p. A1225
• Main Authors: van Leth, Frank, Gebhart, Agnes C, van Altena, Richard, Rijkeboer, Annemieke A, Reusken, Annet M, van Gerven, Paul J H J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Dutch
• Published: Netherlands 2009
• Subjects: Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Drug Interactions; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - diagnosis; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Humans; Netherlands; Practice Patterns, Physicians' - standards; Societies, Medical; Tuberculosis - complications; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - drug therapy; Tuberculosis - prevention & control; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0028-2162; 1876-8784

An interdisciplinary workgroup from the National Committee for Practical Tuberculosis Control in the Netherlands has written an evidence-based practice guideline on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV-infected patients with active tuberculosis or latent tuberculosis infection. The diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis are effectively the same in patients with or without an HIV infection. The diagnosis is more complex in a patient with an HIV infection due to the effect of the immunodeficiency on diagnostic parameters. Concomitant treatment of tuberculosis and HIV is complicated by drug interactions and overlapping adverse effects. In patients with tuberculosis and an HIV infection, the tuberculosis is preferably treated before antiretroviral therapy is started. The nurse or nurse practitioner in the organisation where the tuberculosis is diagnosed is responsible for supporting the HIV patient with tuberculosis.