INCREASING TREND OF HIV SEROPREVALENCE AMONG PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN PUNE, INDIA

A total of 4618 tuberculosis patients attending the TB clinic at the S assoon General Hospitals, Pune between 1991 and 1996 were screened for anti-HIV antibodies. Of these 694 were found reactive in enzyme immun e assay (EIA) and 624 were further confirmed by a second test, either rapid EIA or Western blot. HIV-1 reactivity was predominant among tube rculosis patients with HIV-2 reactivity appearing only in 1995, HIV-2 seroreactivity accounted for 0.54 and 1.02 per cent of all HIV reactiv e samples in 1995 and 1996. HIV-1 and HIV-2 dual reactivity accounted for 1.63 and 2.04 per cent of all infections in 1995 and 1996. The ove rall seroprevalence of HIV among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients rose from 3.2 per cent in 1991 to 20.1 per cent in 1996.