Molecular Evidence for Coinfection of HIV and Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Patients at a Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Maiduguri

The co-epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) poses a complex dual burden in resource-limited settings, with HIV-positive individuals carrying a substantially elevated risk of active TB due to compromised cellular immunity. This study examined molecular evidence for HIV/TB coinfection among patients receiving care at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Maiduguri, Borno State, Northeast Nigeria. Blood and sputum samples were collected from 120 HIV-positive patients. HIV viral load was quantified by real-time PCR, while Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected using the Xpert MTB/RIF assay. Culture confirmation was performed on Lowenstein-Jensen medium for Xpert-positive samples, and DNA extracted from positive cultures was subjected to IS6110-based PCR for final confirmation. HIV/TB coinfection was confirmed in 28.3% of study participants. Rifampicin resistance was detected in 14% of TB-positive cases. Patients with CD4 counts below 200 cells/ul had significantly higher rates of active TB. These molecular findings reinforce the critical need for integrated HIV-TB diagnostic algorithms and routine rifampicin resistance surveillance in Northeastern Nigerian healthcare facilities. Keywords: HIV, tuberculosis, coinfection, Xpert MTB/RIF, Maiduguri.