COEXISTING CHALLENGES: HIV AND TUBERCULOSIS COINFECTIONS IN THE KENYAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection significantly increases the risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection, leading to heightened concerns regarding disease progression and mortality rates. HIV-infected individuals face a substantially elevated risk of reactivating latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and experiencing rapid disease progression post-infection or reinfection with TB. Extensive research underscores the synergistic impact of HIV on TB infection dynamics, with co-infected individuals facing an annual risk factor that may exceed 10%. While individuals infected with TB alone have a relatively lower lifetime risk of developing TB, the risk is substantially heightened in the context of HIV co-infection.

This paper delves into the complex interplay between HIV and TB infection, examining the mechanisms underlying the heightened susceptibility to TB among HIV-infected individuals. Drawing upon empirical evidence from studies by Bucker et al. (1999), Corbett et al. (2003), Vynnicky (1997), and Girardi (2000), it highlights the significant disparities in disease risk and progression between individuals with TB-only infection and those co-infected with HIV/TB.

By elucidating the synergistic effects of HIV on TB infection dynamics, the paper aims to inform public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing the burden of TB among HIV-infected populations. It underscores the urgent need for integrated approaches to TB and HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as efforts to address underlying social determinants and structural barriers exacerbating the dual burden of disease.