E-DRUG: SA study: anti-retroviral drugs help prevent TB
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[Source: IRIN PlusNews HIV/AIDS Briefs, 29 August 2001]
SOUTH AFRICA: Anti-retroviral drugs help TB - study
Treatment with antiretroviral drugs has significantly reduced the
incidence of tuberculosis, a University of Cape Town study has found.
The Johannesburg-based 'Beeld' newspaper reported on Wednesday that a
total of 378 HIV/AIDS patients were treated with antiretroviral drugs at
the university AIDS clinic between 1996 and last year. Their results were
compared with those of 562 patients who were not treated with the drugs,
who visited the clinic between 1992 and 1996. The incidence of
tuberculosis was 9.9 percent per year in the untreated group and 2.1
percent per year among the group treated with combination therapy of three
anti-retroviral drugs, the report said. The incidence of tuberculosis
among the community during both periods was unchanged.
"The data shows that treatment with antiretroviral drugs significantly
reduces the incidence of tuberculosis, even in communities with the
highest incidence of the disease globally. It would be sound strategy to
control AIDS-related tuberculosis," 'Beeld' quoted the report, published
in the South African Medical Journal, as saying.
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