Abstract:
Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem despite the availability
of effi cient treatment over the last decades. TB is the most common opportunistic infection among HIV
patients and complicated the outcome of treatment globally.
Aims: The prevalence of HCV infection among TB patients has not fully been investigated and limited
data on rates of HCV co-infection in TB patients exist. Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the
effects of duration of treatment with fi rst line anti-TB drug, HIV, HCV and co-infection on haematological and
hepatic functions in Libyan patients with pulmonary TB.
Methods: A total of 120 Libyan newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients (74 males and 46 females)
with age range of 26 to 41 years old were enrolled in this study. They were selected for a regular follow up
on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pulmonary TB was confi rmed by chest X-ray and sputum
smear in all the patients. Patients were divided into three groups; the fi rst group of 75 patients with no HIV
and HCV infections (positive control), the second group of 35 patients who had TB and HIV co-infection,
before starting anti-microbial therapy, while the third group consists of 20 patients who had TB and HCV coinfection
before starting anti-HCV treatment. All patients received a confi rmation of the 1st line anti-TB drug
(isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for fi ve consecutive weeks) simultaneously.
Results: The results showed a signifi cant decrease in white blood cells (WBCs) in all the groups of
patients and signifi cant changes in other haematological parameters, there were also signifi cant increases
in the hepatic enzyme activities, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and
alkaline phosphatase (ALP), in all the groups which indicate hepatic toxicity.
Conclusion: Treatment with fi rst line anti-TB drug simultaneously produced hepatotoxicity after two
weeks which is more in HIV and HCV co-infection patients.
