What is the connection between HIV and TB?
When HIV infects a person, the virus begins to eat up his defenses, depleting his immunity, making him increasingly more prone to catch and suffer various infections, TB being one of the commonest opportunistic infections. Nearly half of all HIV + persons end up suffering from clinical tuberculosis which is regarded as the No. 1 killer of HIV + population. One third of AIDS related deaths worldwide are attributed to TB.
Spread of HIV in a community acts like manure preparing a suitable breeding ground for TB; HIV inevitably brings in its wake a spate of fresh TB cases therein. No wonder, in some HIV-ridden African countries, as soon as TB is detected in a person, he at once becomes an HIV suspect.
In a country like India where TB infections galore (40% Indian adults are possibly TB infected), spread of HIV will be particularly dangerous; it would be like pouring fuel on the raging fires of TB.