TB and HIV

Related Projects

TB and HIV

South Africa has the fourth-highest burden of TB in the world and also has the largest number of drug-resistant TB cases reported worldwide. The massive increase in TB-related morbidity and mortality is largely a result of HIV, which weakens the immune system thus increasing the likelihood of contracting TB. In South Africa, up to 70 percent of TB patients are HIV co-infected. Increasing cases of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extreme drug-resistant (XDR) TB indicate that a scaled-up response to TB is essential in order to avoid any escalation of this crisis. An adequate response would include early testing and diagnosis, better adherence to treatment and drug resistance.

TB in pregnancy is one of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of TB in pregnancy is difficult. TB infection in pregnancy carries a poor prognosis for the unborn child as it may spread through the umbilical vein to cause disseminated TB in the newborn, or it may cause pre-term delivery and low birth-weight infants. When diagnosed and treated early with standard anti-TB treatment, the outcome in pregnancy is good for both the mother and the child. It is therefore important to screen pregnant women for TB routinely at antenatal clinics.

Anova funds and supports TB and HIV programmes in the following projects:

  • GF Jooste (WC)
  • Groote Schuur Hospital (Brooklyn Chest) (WC)
  • Farms Project (WC)
  • Tirisanong (Soweto)