How is M. tuberculosis infection different in people with HIV infection?
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10 million people worldwide are infected with the M. tuberculosis bacterium and HIV virus at the same time. The primary cause of death in these patients is from tuberculosis, not AIDS. In the United States, it is estimated that about 2 out of ten persons who have tuberculosis are also infected with HIV. One of the first indications that a person is infected with HIV may be that he or she suddenly develops tuberculosis. This form of tuberculosis often occurs in areas outside the lungs, particularly when the patient is in the later stages of AIDS. In the United States, it is much more likely for persons infected with M. tuberculosis and HIV to develop active tuberculosis than it is for someone that is only infected with M. tuberculosis. However, tuberculosis disease can be prevented and cured, even in people with HIV infection. People with MDR-tuberculosis that are also infected with HIV appear to have a more rapid and deadly disease cou
