Walaza, SibongileTempia, StefanoDawood, HalimaVariava, EbrahimMoyes, JocelynCohen, Adam L.Wolter, NicoleGroome, MichelleVon Mollendorf, ClaireKahn, KathleenPretorius, Marthi AndréaVenter, MarietjieMadhi, Shabir A.Cohen, Cheryl2015-03-162015-03-162015-01Walaza, S, Tempia, S, Dawood, H, Variava, E, Moyes, J, Cohen, AL, Wolter, N, Groome, M, Von Mollendorf, C, Kahn, K, Pretorius, M, Venter, M, Madhi, SA & Cohen, C 2015, 'Influenza virus infection is associated with increased risk of death amongst patients hospitalized with confirmed pulmonary tuberculollsis in South Africa, 2010-2011', BMC Infectious Diseases, vol. 15, Art. #26, pp. 1-13.1471-233410.1186/s12879-015-0746-xhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/44003BACKGROUND : Data on the association between influenza and tuberculosis are limited. We describe the characteristics of patients with laboratory-confirmed tuberculosis, laboratory-confirmed influenza and tuberculosis-influenza co-infection. METHODS : Patients hospitalized with severe respiratory illness (acute and chronic) were enrolled prospectively in four provinces in South Africa. Naso/oropharyngeal specimens were tested for influenza virus by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Tuberculosis testing was conducted as part of clinical management. RESULTS : From June 2010 through December 2011, 8032 patients were enrolled and influenza testing was conducted on 7863 (98%). Influenza virus was detected in 765 (10%) patients. Among 2959 patients with tuberculosis and influenza results, 2227 (75%) were negative for both pathogens, 423 (14%) were positive for tuberculosis alone, 275 (9%) were positive for influenza alone and 34 (1%) had influenza and tuberculosis co-infection. On multivariable analysis amongst individuals with symptoms for ≥7 days, tuberculosis influenza co-infection was associated with increased risk of death, (adjusted relative risk ratio (aRRR) (6.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-23.4), as compared to tuberculosis only infection. This association was not observed in individuals with symptoms for <7 days (aRRR.0.8, 95% CI 0.1-7.0). CONCLUSION : Tuberculosis and influenza co-infection compared to tuberculosis single infection was associated with increased risk of death in individuals with symptoms ≥7 days. The potential public health impact of influenza vaccination among persons with laboratory-confirmed tuberculosis should be explored.en© 2015 Walaza et al ; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.orglicenses/by/4.0).InfluenzaTuberculosisCo-infectionSouth Africa (SA)Article