Lung and HIV infection with special reference to tuberculosis: preliminary report on 20 HIV-1 seropositive cases.

The clinico-radiological profile of 20 patients with tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases infected with HIV-1 is presented in this preliminary communication. Twelve patients had proven and 4 had suspected tuberculosis. Two patients were diagnosed as having interstitial pneumonitis on limited autopsy. Five patients fulfilled the CDC's new AIDS definition criteria. Though our experience is limited, yet, in the present series, the patients with tuberculosis showed typical extensive upper zone infiltrative lesions. Patients with tuberculosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary, excluding disseminated disease) showed improvement on short course regimens of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy, without any toxic effects.