Provider Initiated Testing and Counselling for Presumptive TB Cases and TB Patients: Training Manual for Laboratory Technicians

While tuberculosis (TB) is the commonest opportunistic infection (OI) in HIV-infected individuals, HIV infection is an important risk factor for acquiring TB infection and its progression to active TB. HIV/TB together is a fatal combination with extremely high death rates (15 to 18%) reported among HIV-infected TB cases notified under Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP). Overall, TB is estimated to cause about 25% of all deaths among PLHIV in India.

This report has been developed to guide the Lab technicians regarding procedures of HIV testing services and provider initiated testing and counselling (PITC) among presumptive TB and diagnosed TB cases. The valuable inputs provided by experts from RNTCP and NACP in developing this document are appreciated.