Among the issues that the 5-day intensive course addressed were how to handle TB patients who present with immune systems badly compromised by HIV, and those who delayed coming in for diagnosis and treatment. In addition to covering TB and HIV case management, the course outlined special treatment issues that these patients can experience, such as opportunistic infections and complicated drug side effects. Participants also learned that, in co-infected patients, TB may develop more quickly and in a much more deadly form, so quality case management is essential in order to reduce mortality.
An essential part of the course was on-the-spot training in a hospital treating TB-HIV patients. The most complicated cases were discussed there, as well as in plenary sessions. This model of formal training supported by the discussion of actual cases has proven very effective in other Union clinical courses.
The TB-HIV Clinical Management course was held from 29 July-2 August in Kunming with Dr Ignacio Monedero leading the faculty. The 30 participants included young residents, as well as key reference infectious disease physicians and physicians in charge of training physicians throughout Yunnan Province. Plans are to repeat the course in 2014.
Funding and other support was provided by TB CAP and FHI 360.
For more information about clinical and programmatic TB-HIV courses, please click here.