South Africa has a high burden of persons co-infected with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). MDR-TB/HIV co-infection is difficult to treat due to drug-drug interactions which lead to antiretroviral treatment (ART) substitutions, overlapping side-effect profiles, and high pill burden. While worldwide only about 55% of MDR-TB patients are successfully treated, South Africa has shown a recent improvement in MDR-TB treatment outcomes. Although many patients with MDR-TB/HIV co-infection will be cured of MDR-TB, they must continue on daily ART for the rest of their lives. Data suggest that some patients who successfully complete MDR-TB treatment fail to achieve HIV viral suppression by the time they complete MDR-TB treatment. As new TB treatment options are introduced and more people survive MDR-TB, understanding the effects of MDR-TB treatment on HIV viral suppression will only increase in importance.
The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of HIV viral suppression among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) who have successfully completed MDR-TB treatment.