Increasing trends in HIV and TB rates in Odessa and the Ukraine

Abstract

Notification rates for HIV and tuberculosis (TB) have increased in the Ukraine and particularly in Odessa. In 1962, the incidence of TB in Odessa region was 178 cases per 100,000 cases, declining to 73.0, 42.0 and 41.6 cases per 100,000 in 1972, 1982 and 1992, respectively. In 2002, TB incidence and prevalence were 80.4 and 330.1/100,000 population, respectively. TB mortality in the port almost doubled from 10.2/100,000 to 21.6/100,000 between 1990 and 2001. In 2002, the HIV incidence and prevalence and AIDS incidence and prevalence were 46.4 and 241.0 cases/100,000 population and 14.5/100,000 and 26.9/100,000, respectively. There are increasing numbers of TB cases co-infected with HIV (200 in 2002), suggesting that the HIV and TB epidemics are converging. Significant effort is needed for the effective control of these two outbreaks to prevent high levels of morbidity and mortality from these diseases.