CONCOMITANT HIV AND MYCOBACTERIAL INFECTION IN IRELAND, 1987-92

A six-year retrospective review of concomitant HIV and mycobacterial i nfection in the Republic of Ireland is presented. A total of 42 cultur e proven mycobacterial infections were seen in 40 different HIV-infect ed patients. There were 24 infections with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) and 18 infections with mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MO TT), a significantly higher rate of MOTT infections in Ireland compare d to a study from 1962-1981. The detection rate for all mycobacterial infections had an annual upward trend with a 4-fold increase between 1 987 and 1992. In homosexuals, MOTT infections occurred more frequently than M.tb, while the reverse was true for IVDUs. Twenty per cent of t he infections were seen in patients recently incarcerated. Relapse of tuberculosis occurred in 42.9% (3/7) of non-compliant patients, 2 of w hom developed rifampin-resistant strains of M.tb. No patient complaint to their regimen had a relapse in disease. The overall survival of pa tients after diagnosis of M.tb was significantly better than those wit h MOTT infections, with respective one-year survival rate of 79% and 3 6% (log rank test, P = 0.006).