ABSTRACT
Infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the disease it causes, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), is clearly one of the most important present-day health threats. Worldwide, according to the UNAIDS=WHO 2006 AIDS epidemic report, it is estimated that HIV=AIDS accounts for 2.9 million deaths and 4.3 million new infections each year (UNIADS= WHO 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update). The immunodeficiency caused by this infection has led to the explosion of another important infectious disease, TB, and the economic costs of the infection to the individual and communities, especially in high prevalent countries is enormous.
