The Journal of infectious diseases
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Rates of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis were compared in Kinshasa, Zaire, in 521 household contacts of 74 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-seropositive index patients and in 692 household contacts of 95 HIV-1-seronegative [corrected] index patients with sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis: No difference was noted between contacts of HIV-1-seropositive and -seronegative patients. The increasing prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection with increasing age was similar in household contacts of seropositive and seronegative patients; by age 16 years, 75% were purified protein derivative-positive. The similarly low rates of M. tuberculosis infection in household contacts of HIV-1-seropositive and -seronegative index patients with sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis indicates that HIV-1-seropositive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are not more infectious than HIV-1-seronegative patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.