Setting

A community-based voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) center in Moshi, Tanzania.

Objective

To compare rates of prior human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among clients with and without previous tuberculosis (TB) treatment, and HIV seropositivity among those with and without current TB symptoms.

Design

Cross-sectional study of consecutive clients presenting for initial testing; sociodemographic and clinical data were collected via a structured questionnaire. HIV status was compared among clients with or without three or more TB-related symptoms: weight loss, fever, cough, hemoptysis or night sweats.

Results

Overall, 225 (3%) of 6583 VCT clients who responded to questions on previous TB treatment reported a history of TB, but only 34 (15%) reported previous HIV testing. This rate of HIV testing was not different from the rate among those clients without a history of TB (OR 0.77, P = 0.175). One hundred thirty-five (61%) clients with a history of TB were HIV-infected at VCT, compared with 17% of all clients. Of the total 6592 first-time testers who responded, 372 (6%) had at least three symptoms suggestive of TB at VCT. These symptoms were strongly associated with HIV seropositivity (OR 16.30, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Missed opportunities for HIV diagnosis at the time of TB treatment appear frequent in this population, underscoring the need for integration of TB and HIV diagnostic services.