ART in children with TB HIV co-infection

Clinical description

ART is indicated for all HIV-infected children and infants with any form of TB. Children must be followed up regularly and drug doses for ART and anti-TB treatment adjusted for changes in weight. The approach to TB treatment is the same both in HIV-negative and HIV-positive 48 National Tuberculosis Control Programme children. (Refer to Clinical Management of HIV in Children and Adults7).

• TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is more common in severely

immunocompromised children and usually occurs within 3 months of starting ART.

• TB is common in HIV-positive children in Malawi.
• HIV-positive children are more likely to be infected with MTB than HIV-negative

children.

• HIV-positive children are at increased risk of TB disease and this risk is related to the

degree of immune suppression.

7 Malawi Ministry of Health. 2016. Clinical Management of HIV in children and adults Accessed 7 April 2017.

National Tuberculosis Control Programme 49