[Underdiagnosis of HIV in patients with tuberculosis].

HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis impose a large infectious burden world wide. The conditions mutually interact, both epidemiologically and biologically. The course and treatment of tuberculosis are importantly complicated by HIV co-infection. A recent study showed that in newly detected tuberculosis patients, HIV sero-testing has been consistently low in the Netherlands. Two random samples of TB cases from the national registry were analysed--1993 and 2003--before and after the introduction of effective therapy for HIV/AIDS became available. There was no significant increase in HIV sero-testing. Guidelines for the treatment of tuberculosis should include routine HIV testing.